BIOTECH CASE: SCIENTISTS TO BE HEARD, FINAL DECISION POSTPONED
On 26 August, the WTO panel hearing an ongoing case against EU rules on imports of genetically modified organisms announced it would seek expert advice on technical and scientific issues raised in the dispute. Shortly before this, the panel had postponed the timing of its final report from September 2004 to March 2005. The decision to hear experts in the case brought by the US, Argentina and Canada against the EC’s de facto moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) (see BRIDGES WEEKLY, 7 July 2004), was seen by trade commentators as a victory for the EC. The EC’s defence has focused on the scientific uncertainty surrounding GMOs, and possible risks to human health and the environment. The US, on the other hand, has stressed that GMOs pose no additional risks as compared to traditional crops, and has argued that appointing scientists and technical experts to provide testimony is unnecessary because the crux of the matter — the fact that the EC refuses to apply its own approval mechanisms for biotech products — is not a scientific issue. According to sources, a first scientific hearing will take place in November. Some observers have expressed concern that the scientific hearings could result in further delays, mirroring an earlier case against the EC involving a ban on imports of beef raised with growth hormones (see BRIDGES WEEKLY, 13 November 2003).
The panel’s communication (WT/DS291/26) is available at http://docsonline.wto.org
ICTSD reporting; "GM trade war outcome delayed," FRIEND OF THE EARTH PRESS RELEASE, 26 August 2004; "WTO ruling delayed in transatlantic row over GMOs," REUTERS, 26 August 2004