Threats and Opportunities in WTO GM Dispute

Article by Daniel Moulis and Matthew Coghlan

The US, Canada and Argentina are alleging that the European Communities (EC) has applied a 'moratorium' on approvals for the import and marketing of genetically modified (GM), or 'biotechnology', products without a scientific basis (see DS291, 292 and 293).

The US, Canada and Argentina have powerful industries wishing to export GM products to the EC and other WTO Members, including developing Members, so this is both a specific complaint against the EC, and a warning to other Members to consider wisely before preventing the import of GM products.

The US request for consultations complains that:

since 1998, the EC has applied a 'moratorium' on the approval of GM products by suspending consideration of approval of GM products, and that this has restricted US agricultural and food imports

individual EC countries maintain a number of domestic level import and marketing bans on GM products, despite EC level import and marketing...