[Gen-Streitfall] Fwd: [wtogmo] Info: GM trade dispute and access to information rejected!

[Cornelia Reetz]

Neue Infos über den Stand des Streitfalls.
Der Anhang (Antwort der EU-Kommission auf einen Brief von NGOs) ist
sehr groß (ca. 1,4 MB), weshalb ich ihn nicht über die Liste schicke.
Wer ihn haben möchte, kann sich gerne an mich wenden.

Viele Grüße aus GB,
Cornelia

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Dies ist eine weitergeleitete Nachricht
Von    : Alexandra Wandel <alexandra.wandel at foeeurope.org>
An     : "wtogmo List Member" <cornelia at attac.de>
Datum  : Freitag, 14. Januar 2005, 16:13
Betreff: [wtogmo] Info: GM trade dispute and access to information rejected!

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Dear all,

latest news in the highly secretive GM trade dispute proceedings are 
that the 4-5 scientific and technical experts group which was appointed 
by the three man WTO panel in autumn have submitted their arguments to 
the parties.

The EC, US, Canada and Argentina are now preparing written statements 
concerning these experts submissions. A meeting with the scientists, 
panelists and parties is foreseen for 15-16 February followed by the 2nd 
hearing to be held from 21-22 February in Geneva. NGOs, the public and 
the media will as usual not have access to the hearing.

In the meantime the European Commission, still rejects to share with us 
NGOs their arguments in the GM case, we attach a copy of a letter sent 
to us by the secretary general refusing us access to their 2nd submission.

In the meantime we also carefully need to watch the next steps of the 
European Commission willing to cave in under WTO pressure.

Due to public resistance in many member states,  the Commission failed 
to* to force EU member states to lift existing safeguard measures on 
genetically modified food and crops under WTO/US pressure on 29 November 
- almost 10,000 protest emails were sent to national governments 
following our call to action- great!!

However *civil servants in Brussels are in the process of briefing the 
new Commissioner on the GMO issue and are putting forward to him a 
package of decisions to be made around the end of February / beginning 
of March including on whether to send the 8 national safeguard measures 
as well as some other GM crops to the Council for a vote.

*So stay tuned *to ensure that our right to say no to GM foods remains, 
despite the pressure from the WTO and the US Government.

-- 
Alexandra Wandel
Trade, Environment and Sustainability (TES) Programme Co-ordinator

Friends of the Earth Europe
15, rue Blanche
B-1050 Brussels- Belgium
http://www.foeeurope.org, http://www.foei.org, http://www.bite-back.org http://www.s2bnetwork.org
 
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * **  * * * ** * * * * * * 

For the planet - for the people - for a sustainable future
 



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