Brussels/Geneva, 7 February 2006 - Friends of the Earth Europe today called
for a deep-rooted reform of the international trade system if the World
Trade Organisation (WTO) over-rules European Union attempts to protect its
people and environment from genetically modified (GM) foods and crops.

In a draft ruling expected shortly on the transatlantic trade dispute over
GM foods, the WTO will inform the countries involved whether national bans
on GM products are a barrier to free trade and should be lifted. It is also
likely to show whether Europe’s de facto moratorium between 1998 and 2004 on
new GM foods was also a barrier to trade.

The European Commission has already today issued a memo which clearly
exposes what is at stake. Should the world follow the de-regulation,
business-driven approach of the US or should it follow the regulatory,
safety-first approach of the European Union? The number of GM accidents in
the US strongly suggests that the EU model is better to protect people and
their environment. (1)

Alexandra Wandel, Friends of the Earth Europe’s Trade Co-ordinator, said:
"Protecting wildlife, farmers and consumers from the threat of genetically
modified crops is far more important than enforcing free trade rules. The
World Trade Organisation with its secretive decision-making processes is
unfit to decide what we should eat or what farmers should grow. The WTO is
undemocratic, and unfairly favours big business. A new global trading system
is needed that protects people and the environment from the worst excesses
of industry.“Adrian Bebb, GM Food Campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe, said:”Opposition to genetically modified foods is likely to increase if the WTO
decides that European safeguards should be sacrificed to benefit biotech
corporations. Consumers worldwide will not be bullied into eating GM foods.
European governments must stand up to the WTO and protect the food chain and
the environment from the threat of genetically modified crops."

Friends of the Earth points out that:
– Opposition to GM foods and crops in Europe has increased since the
beginning of the trade dispute. There are now over 170 regions and 4,500
smaller areas that want to be GM-free.
– An alternative dispute settlement procedure is needed to solve trade and
environmental conflicts. This could be the International Court of Justice or
the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Additionally, the UN Biosafety Protocol
is an international agreement already in place that deals with trade in
GMOs.
– The first ten years of GM crops have failed to deliver the benefits
promised by the biotech industry and have played no role in tackling poverty
and hunger (2).

An international campaign against the WTO dispute called "Bite-back - WTO:
Hands off our food!" - is supported by 750 organisations representing some
60 million people (see www.bite-back.org). The coalition states that the
industry-friendly WTO is not the right place to decide what food Europeans
should eat. (3)

The “Bite Back” citizens’ objection was initiated by Friends of the Earth
International with the support of consumer, development and farmers’ groups,
trade unions, research institutes and citizens from over 100 countries.

[1] European Commission Press Release:
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/61&type=
HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

[2] A special media briefing on the GM trade dispute is available at :
www.foeeurope.org/publications/2006/GMO_and_WTO_interim_briefing_Feb2006.pdf
as well as a fact sheet on GMOs and the WTO, see:
www.foeeurope.org/publications/2006/GMO_and_WTO_QA_Feb2006.pdf

En Français:
Briefing pour la presse sur le conflit commercial transatlantique sur les aliments modifiés génétiquement:
www.foeeurope.org/publications/2006/GMO_et_WTO_briefing_intermediaire_Feb200
6_FR.pdf
Les OGM en Europe et l’OMC - Questions réponses
www.foeeurope.org/publications/2006/GMO_et_WTO_QR_Feb2006_FR.pdf

FOE report: Who benefits from GM crops, January 2006-02-07
http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/2006/who_benefits_from_gm_crops_Jan_20
06.pdf

[3] Is the WTO the only way? Safeguarding Multilateral Environmental
Agreements from international trade rules and settling trade and environment
disputes outside the WTO. A briefing paper by Adelphi Consult, Friends of
the Earth Europe and Greenpeace. Available at:
http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/2005/alternatives_wto.pdf

CONTACT:
Alexandra Wandel, Friends of the Earth WTO expert, +49 172 748 3953
Adrian Bebb, Friends of the Earth GMO expert, +49 1609 490 1163

— 
Alexandra Wandel
Trade, Environment and Sustainability (TES) Programme Co-ordinator

Friends of the Earth Europe
15, rue Blanche
B-1050 Brussels- Belgium
http://www.foeeurope.org
http://www.foei.org
http://www.bite-back.org
http://www.s2bnetwork.org