[Gen-Streitfall] Fwd: [wtogmo] GM WTO political update

[Cornelia Reetz]

Einige spannende Informationen u.a. zum Stand des Verfahrens...

--------------------------------------------------

Dies ist eine weitergeleitete Nachricht
Von    : Alexandra Wandel <alexandra.wandel at foeeurope.org>
An     : "wtogmo List Member" <cornelia at attac.de>
Datum  : Montag, 8. Dezember 2003, 15:01
Betreff: [wtogmo] GM WTO political update

===8<=================== Original Nachrichtentext ===================

Dear all,

A couple of news from an informal Commission source on the US EU trade 
dispute:

WHERE ARE WE NOW?
* after another failed meeting on the panelists with the parties (EC, 
US, Canada, Argentina), the WTO secretariat will come up with some new 
names now. Some of the past suggested panelists had some biotech 
background! The EC has made it clear that they cannot accept panelist 
with a biotech background. However, if at the next meeting again no 
consensus can be found the WTO director general will have to appoint the 
panelists -  So there is a need for civil society groups to send letters 
to the Dr. Supachai, the director-general of the WTO, not to appoint 
someone with a corporate biotech background. At FoEE we will do this 
again. Once they are appointed we still have no possibilty of finding 
out the names and background of the panelists acccording to the 
secretive WTO proceedings.

* The case is moving slower than expected. We hope to have the panelists 
appointed in December. Shortly afterwards the timetable for the case 
will be announced.

* The EC is now finalising paper for their first submission at the WTO. 
They include papers on the role of the Biosafety Protocol, the Aarhus 
Convention and GMOs, case studies on Canada and China and their GMO 
policies, explanations on the various approval procedure and why they 
were delayed etc.

* A first ruling  (panel report) is expected at the moment only for end 
of the year 2004 (maybe before the presidential elections).

IMPLICATIONS ALREADY NOW
* the plans of the Commission to lift the GM moratorium is a direct 
consequence of US pressure and in particular the WTO case now.

* There are indicatons that the Commission does not know how they legally can defend the national 
safeguard measures at all. The are a complete trade barrier and not WTO 
compatible, Similarly there is some nervousnesss about the new GMO free 
zones in the Commission that also could be attacked under the current 
WTO case. So the Commission might also send a warning to EU member 
states on these zones.

LIKELY SCENARIO FOR THE RULING
* While on the GMO  moratorium and the approval procedures the EC will 
cave in to have a stronger position in the WTO, the national bans will 
in the end lead to the EU losing the case. EU member states then will 
have to lift the national bans or the EU will face trade sanctions that 
will hit small business.

* The EC is very nervous about this scenario as this will undermine in 
general the EU's precautionary stance on GMOs. In addition, this could 
set a precedent on the relationship between multilateral environmental 
agreements and WTO rules. So far the relationship is not clear and 
negotiations have been launched in the WTO on this. With the Biosafety 
Protocol now in force this could also undermine MEAs in general. The 
Commission has held a specific crisis meeting on this.

-- 
BITE BACK: WTO HANDS OFF OUR FOOD
Bush is using the WTO to force-feed you genetically modified food. 
You can help stop them: Bite Back! 
Sign the Citizens' Objection online at
http://www.bite-back.org
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
alexandra wandel
trade and sustainability programme co-ordinator
friends of the earth europe (FoEE)
15, rue blanche (NEW number)
B-1050 Brussels (NEW postal code!)
fon: +32 2 542 01 89 (direct).
http://www.foeeurope.org/cancun and http://www.foei.org/cancun

===8<============== Ende des Original Nachrichtentextes =============