June 1, 2000 / Environment News Service
LISBON, Portugal, May 31, 2000 (ENS) - The risks and benefits of genetically engineered crops and foods will be the subject of a new trans-Atlantic high level discussion group, the European Union and the United States agreed today.
During U.S. President Bill Clinton's official visit to Portugal today, the U.S. and the European Union agreed to establish a Consultative Forum to review and assess the benefits and risks of biotechnology and prepare a report on these issues for the December 2000 U.S./European Union Summit.
On the last day of its six month presidency of the European Union, Portugal signed the agreement on behalf of the 15 nation Union.
The two governments have agreed "to address practical steps to facilitate market access," for biotech foods, according to a statement from the U.S. State Department today. European Commission President Romano Prodi said at a joint press briefing with President Clinton and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres in Lisbon, "We launch today the biotechnology consultative forum to foster public debate and create more common understanding. I remember that this forum, which I proposed in October last year at my first meeting with you, Bill, is made of outstanding and independent individuals from outside the government. It's a very independent body."
The biotechnology forum will include people with backgrounds in labor, academia, and business, including scientists, ethicists, environmental interests, farmers, and consumers. They will look at factors such as the food security needs of developing countries, food safety, health and the environment.
Lack of public confidence in genetically engineered foods in Europe has led to paralysis on approval of American biotech foods in European countries.
This week, oilseed rape crops sowed from traditional seeds mixed inadvertently with genetically engineered seeds have been pulled from the ground in Germany, France and the UK due to fears that biotech crops will contaminate other crops in fields nearby, changing their genetic makeup.
Some of Europe's largest food manufacturing firms and retailers have bowed to public pressure and dropped genetically engineered foods from their products.
U.S. Department of Agriculture scientist Steve Sheppard prepares a gel to be used in separating honey bee DNA fragments.
The U.S., which produces most of the world's genetically engineered seeds and crops, says this attitude is undermining progress on food security in developing nations causing uncertainty in markets around the world and harming U.S. farm exports.
The European Union's prevention of U.S. corn exports to Spain and Portugal has cost U.S. producers about $200 million per year in lost corn sales since 1998, according to the U.S. State Department.
Two new European Union labeling regulations for genetically modified foods and crops came into effect in April, but have not been implemented because of the lack of testing methodologies, certifying labs and inspection procedures.
In October 1999, President Clinton and President Prodi agreed to take new steps to address differences over biotechnology, both through high level government-to-government talks and with input from non-governmental sectors of society.
President Clinton and Portuguese President Jorge Sampaio exchange toasts at a state dinner Tuesday.
The U.S. and EU have pledged to try to launch a new World Trade Organization Round sometime this year. "All trade disputes will be settled case by case under WTO rules," President Prodi said today.
The U.S. and European Union trade is the largest in the world and represents more than 40 percent of world trade.
The two governments said in a joint statement today, "We have reiterated our common view that the WTO agenda should include the social issues of labor and environment, not as a matter of protectionism, but as a matter of social justice and sustainability."
The international trade of genetically modified organisms may be affected by World Trade Organization rules.
This trade is also governed by the newly agreed Biosafety Protocol, an international agreement that now forms part of the Convention on Biological Diversity. It centers on the right of countries importing genetically engineered organisms to give their informed consent before the biotech materials are imported.
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