Reuters | December 3, 1999 | Doug Palmer
SEATTLE - Tim Galvin, head of the U.S. Agriculture Department's Foreign Agricultural Service, was cited as telling Reuters there appeared to be little chance of rescuing a proposal to establish a World Trade Organization working group on biotechnology, adding, "The odds are not great."
The story notes that the United States had hoped to persuade other WTO members to support a working group to discuss approval procedures for genetically modified crops, with the eventual goal of crafting international rules.
The story also notes that a new EU proposal for a broadly focused working group that would consider consumer and environmental concerns was rejected by U.S. negotiators.
Galvin was quoted as saying, "Our objective was to get a working group we could support," and that in the U.S. view, the EU's proposal was too wide-ranging.
The United States could still submit a proposal to negotiate on biotechnology issues, if trade talks begin as expected next year. WTO members have been working on language this week to launch a new three-year round of talks on agriculture, services and other areas.
The American Farm Bureau Federation, the largest U.S. farm group, has, the story says, advocated moving immediately to negotiations on biotechnology approval rules because of the fear a working group would delay progress on resolving current trade issues.
At the same time, many countries want to keep biotechnology separate from negotiations on other agricultural issues, such as export subsidies and import tariffs. They are concerned the controversy over biotechnology could drag out the farm talks.
Karil Kochenderfer, director of international trade and environmental affairs for the Grocery Manufacturers of America, was cited as saying her organization had hoped a working group would reaffirm WTO food safety rules applied to biotechnology, adding, "Clearly the engagement of (agriculture) and trade ministers in this debate in a formal way would be a positive development."
That would counter a U.N. effort led by environmental ministers to craft rules that could restrict trade in genetically modified products.
"I think it's clear to us that biotechnology will be addressed" in upcoming trade talks, Kochenderfer said. "It's just the manner is unclear."
