<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Hallo, anbei eine Auswahl der neuesten internationalen Genfood-Nachrichten. Besucht doch mal die AttacStreitfall-Website unter
</font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
www.attac.de/gentechnik.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Gruß, Sabine Altmann, Attac Marburg
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
THE WEEKLY WATCH NUMBER 38, 30. Aug 2003
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
========================
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=============================
</b></font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
WTO TOLD TO CLEAR OUT VESTED INTERESTS
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Friends of the Earth has called on the head of the World Trade
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Organisation to "purge the organisation of vested interests" ahead of
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
the transatlantic trade war on GM foods and crops. ... Friends of the Earth is
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
particularly concerned about the role of the deputy director-general,
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Rufus Yerxa. Previous to this post Yerxa worked for the GM giant
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Monsanto as European general counsel and later as international counsel.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Monsanto, who finance the Bush administration, seek to benefit
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
enormously should GM crops be accepted world-wide. Friends of the Earth
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
has written to the WTO Director General, Dr Supachai Panitchpakdi,
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
asking him to guarantee that Yerxa, or anyone else connected to the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
biotech industry, will not play any role in this dispute.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1369
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
CANADA:
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
GM FOOD FEARS HURTING CANADA, SAYS LEAKED PAPER
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
While governments in the UK and New Zealand toy with the idea of GM crop
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
commercialisation, a recent Canadian government paper, marked "secret",
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
warns that GM crop commercialisation in Canada has put its multibillion
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
dollar agri-food industry at risk: "Consumers are becoming more worried
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
that they can't distinguish between GE and non-GE products. ...
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
"there is no broad market acceptance (domestic and international) of
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
genetically engineered (GE) products. ...
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1368
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
CANADIAN FARMERS DON'T WANT GM WHEAT
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Nearly 90 per cent of Canadian farmers say they would not grow GM wheat
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
if they had the option, according to a survey conducted by University of
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Manitoba researchers earlier this year. ...The wheat board, the Agricultural Producers
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Association of Saskatchewan, and other farm and rural groups have taken
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
out large newspaper ads urging Monsanto to withdraw its federal GM wheat
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
application. The organic-food industry fears GM wheat will contaminate
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
their fields and make it impossible to grow organic wheat.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Saskatchewan's organic canola industry disappeared after the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
introduction of GM canola several years ago.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1362
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
A quote on the case of Percy Schmeiser
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
, the Canadian farmer whom
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Monsanto successfully sued for having its GM seed on his land,
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
notwithstanding the possibility that the GM pollen blew in from a
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
neighbour's crop (the case goes to appeal at the Canadian Supreme Court
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
in January 2004): "It's an absurd situation, akin to someone dumping junk on
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
your land and then accusing you of stealing it". - Brian Helweil,
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
agricultural expert with the Worldwatch Institute, based in Washington
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1372
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
GB:
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
BLAIR FORCED TO SCALE BACK HIS PLAN TO INTRODUCE GM FARMING
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Tony Blair is drastically scaling down his plans to introduce GM farming
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
in Britain, according to an article in The Independent on Sunday, in the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
wake of the official inquiry into the events leading to the death of Dr
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
David Kelly, the microbiologist and weapons inspector who operated in
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Iraq. Senior officials at the centre of the issue concede that the Prime
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Minister has accepted that it would be politically "too risky" to force
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
through widespread commercial planting of GM crops in the teeth of
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
public opposition, following the catastrophic collapse in public trust
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
following the Iraq War and Dr David Kelly's apparent suicide.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
...
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=436640
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1355#
</u></font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
INDIA:
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
PERFORMANCE OF BT COTTON:
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Yet another report from India on the first commercial crop shows the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
economics of cultivating Bt cotton are not in favour of farmers. The
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
seed is about four times more expensive than the good local hybrids...
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
... Yield/acre of Bt cotton was lower than non-Bt cotton and the cotton
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
was of poorer quality thus fetching a lower price per quintal.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
The net result was significantly poor results from Bt cotton...
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
In fact, 60% of the farmers cultivating Bt cotton were not even able to
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
recover their investment and incurred losses.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Full text:
</font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.genecampaign.org/btcotton.html
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Press release:
</font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.genecampaign.org/cotton.html
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
NEW ZEALAND:
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
PUBLIC OPPOSITION GROWING TO LIFTING OF GE BAN
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
New Zealand opinion has swung heavily against releasing GM organisms
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
into the environment, according to a survey. A nationwide survey of 801
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
people found that 68.6 per cent want to extend the present three-year
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
ban on releasing GMOs from containment, just two months before the ban
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
is due to end on October 29.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2636825a7693,00.html
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1354
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Also from the antipodes comes a great radio programme, 'Behind the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Biotechs'. Listen to it on the net:
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.abc.net.au/rural/telegraph/audio/telegraph_28082003_2856.ram
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
The programme looks at "the power the biotechs wield in the GM debate
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
from the Oval office to the farmer in the paddock." And it features the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
investigative journalist Andy Rowell, and Julie Newman of the Concerned
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Farmers Network. Well worth a listen.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
SOUTH AFRICA
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
TO ACCEDE TO TREATY FOR SAFETY ON GMOS
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEAT) has announced that it
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
will accede to the Cartagena Protocol, which allows South Africa to ban
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
imports of GMOs if there are reasons to believe that they may cause
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
danger to environment, health or socio-economic conditions. The
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Cartagena Protocol has already been ratified by 51 countries, two thirds
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
of which are developing countries.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1359
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
SPAIN:
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
GM crops in Spain don't deliver promises, but harm farmers and the environment.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
A new study published by Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
demonstrates that the growing of GM crops in Spain is causing
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
contamination of organic crops, producing low yields and its benefits
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
are grossly overstated. The report is also highly critical of the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Spanish Government for failing to control or monitor the situation.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Spain is the only country in the European Union where GM crops are grown
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
on a commercial scale: since 1998, an estimated 25,000 hectares are
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
planted each year with a GM corn variety (Bt176) sold by the Swiss
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
biotech company Syngenta. The corn has been engineered to resist the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
European corn borer, a potentially harmful insect for maize.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
...
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
*A study by IGTA shows that from 1998 to 2000, in most cases there were
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
no differences between conventional and GM crops regarding corn borer
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
attack. This indicates that the corn borer survives the toxin produced
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
by the GM plant, which poses a risk of resistance developing. This not
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
only creates an economic problem to farmers, but also an environmental
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
problem, since heavier and more environmentally damaging pesticides will
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
be needed to fight the "armed" insects.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
*The first cases of organic crops contaminated by GMOs have been
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
discovered in northern Navarra by the Council of Organic Farming in
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Navarra (CPAEN). The organic certificate was withdrawn and farmers
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
suffered losses because their product could no longer be labelled organic.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
*Studies have shown that the yields for the GM crop are substantially
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
lower than comparable conventional varieties. For example, one study
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
reported that in 1999 the GM corn yielded 25% less then the top yielding variety.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
...
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.tierra.org
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
and
</font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.greenpeace.org/espana_es
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1360
</u></font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
ILLINOIS, USA:
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
INDUSTRY STRUGGLES WITH GM CORN
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
U.S. seed companies, farmers and grain handlers are struggling with how
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
to keep GM corn from mixing with non-biotech crops. Some in the industry
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
say changes aren't happening fast enough to keep up with the increasing
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
use of GM crops. They fear problems similar to what happened with
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
StarLink in 2000, when GM corn not approved for human consumption was
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
accidentally mixed with other crops. The resulting scare triggered food
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
recalls and caused a worldwide drop in corn prices...
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.gmwatch.org/archive2.asp?arcid=1370
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2>
Freitag 29. August 2003, 14:49 Uhr
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
WTO startet Prüfung des EU-Einfuhrverbots von Biotech-Produkten
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2>
Genf (Reuters) - Die Welthandelsorganisation (WTO) hat am Freitag mit einer Untersuchung des umstrittenen Einfuhrverbots für die meisten gentechnisch veränderten Lebensmittel in die Europäische Union (EU) begonnen. Die USA, deren Bauern wegen des Verbots Millionen-Exporteinbußen beklagen, werfen der EU einen Verstoß gegen internationale Handelsregeln vor.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Das Prüfverfahren der WTO kann bis zu 18 Monate dauern. Die USA haben gemeinsam mit Kanada und Argentinien bei der WTO eine Aufhebung des EU-Einfuhrverbots beantragt. Die EU weigert sich seit 1998, den Anbau gentechnisch veränderter Pflanzen und deren Verwendung in Lebensmitteln zuzulassen. Sie erkennt darin keine Verletzung der Welthandelsregeln.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Allerdings hatten die EU-Agrarminister vergangenen Monat Regeln für die spezielle Kennzeichnung genveränderter Lebensmittel beschlossen, was als wichtiger Schritt für eine mögliche Aufhebung des Einfuhrverbots angesehen wurde. Nach US-Auffassung gibt es keine wissenschaftlichen Beweise für Gesundheits- oder Umweltprobleme im Zusammenhang von gentechnisch veränderten Produkten. Die US-Bauern beklagen, dass ihnen durch die restriktive EU-Politik jährlich Exporteinnahmen über 300 Millionen Dollar entgehen
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Freitag 29. August 2003, 13:43 Uhr
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Gen-Streit zwischen USA und EU beschäftigt nun auch die WTO
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2>
(AFP) Der Streit um den von der Europäischen Union verhängten Importbann gegen Gen-Nahrung beschäftigt nun auch die Welthandelsorganisation (WTO). Die WTO werde Vorwürfe der USA, Kanadas und Argentiniens prüfen, die EU-Praxis sei unzulässig, sagte ein Sprecher der US-Vertretung bei der WTO am Freitag in Genf. Die drei Beschwerdeführer hatten Mitte August die Einsetzung eines Streitschlichtungsausschusses beantragt.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Freitag 29. August 2003, 16:15 Uhr
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=3>
WTO: US-Klage gegen EU-Anbaustopp von Gen-Pflanzen
</font><font face="Times New Roman" size=3>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Hamburg/Wien (pte) - Heute, Freitag, haben Vertreter der US-Regierung bei der Welthandelsorganisation WTO
</font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.wto.org
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2>
die Einrichtung einer Streitfall-Kommission durchgesetzt. Streitpunkt ist das seit 1999 bestehende vorläufige Verbot der Zulassung von genetisch veränderten Pflanzen. Die USA drohen bereits seit Mai mit der Einrichtung einer solchen Kommission, berichtet Greenpeace Österreich
</font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.greenpeace.at
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2>
heute, Freitag. Die Umweltorganisation sieht in dem Vorstoß der Amerikaner einen weiteren Versuch den Widerstand der europäischen Verbraucher gegen Gentechnik in Lebensmitteln brechen zu wollen. Bisher konnte die EU die Einberufung eines Streitfall-Panels noch abwenden. "Mit der Klage vor der WTO ignoriert US-Präsident George Bush nicht nur die Interessen der Verbraucher, sondern auch internationales Umweltrecht", so Ulrike Brendel, Gentechnik- Expertin bei Greenpeace
</font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.greenpeace.de
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2>
. Nach einem UN-Abkommen zur biologischen Sicherheit, dem so genannten Biosafety-Protokoll, haben Länder ausdrücklich das Recht, genmanipulierte Organismen aus Gründen der Vorsorge abzulehnen. Das Protokoll wurde von über 100 Staaten, nicht jedoch von den USA, unterzeichnet. Greenpeace fordert unter anderem, dass beim kommenden Ministertreffen im mexikanischen Cancun, das vom 10. bis 14. September stattfindet, die WTO solche internationale Umweltabkommen anerkennt. "Das Biosafety-Protokoll darf nicht durch die WTO-Klage ausgehebelt werden", so Brendel.In der EU werden derzeit nur in Spanien genetisch-veränderte Pflanzen angebaut: Seit 1998 wird der genmanipulierte Mais Bt-176 des Schweizer Konzerns Syngenta angebaut. Greenpeace kritisiert in diesem Zusammenhang bereits eine Verunreinigung von spanischem Öko-Mais. Die betroffenen Landwirte haben daraufhin ihre Öko-Zertifizierung verloren. Auch in Deutschland wurden im vergangenen Jahr drei illegale Äcker mit Bt-176 entdeckt. Biosafety-Protokoll:
</font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.biodiv.org/biosafety/protocol.asp
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2>
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
aus der Greenpeacepresseerklärung vom 29. August 2003
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
Jetzt amtlich: WTO verhandelt US-Klage gegen EU-Anbaustopp von Gen-Pflanzen
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
Was Europa dann droht, belegt neuer Report zu Gen-Mais in Spanien
</b></font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Hamburg, 29. 8. 2003 - Heute haben Vertreter der US-Regierung von der
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Welthandelsorganisation (WTO) in Genf endgueltig die Einrichtung einer
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Streitfall-Kommission durchgesetzt. …
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
"Mit der Klage vor der WTO ignoriert US-Praesident Bush nicht nur die
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Interessen der Verbraucher, sondern auch internationales Umweltrecht",
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
sagt Ulrike Brendel, Gentechnik- Expertin bei Greenpeace. Laut des UN-
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Abkommens zur biologischen Sicherheit (Biosafety-Protokoll) haben
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Laender ausdruecklich das Recht, genmanipulierte Organismen aus
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Gruenden der Vorsorge abzulehnen. Das Biosafety-Protokoll, das von
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
ueber 100 Laendern unterzeichnet wurde, erkennt dabei ausdruecklich
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
die moeglichen Gefahren der Gentechnik fuer die menschliche Gesundheit
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
und die Umwelt an. Die USA haben das Biosafety-Protokoll nicht
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
unterzeichnet. Greenpeace fordert, dass die WTO auf ihrem naechsten
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Ministertreffen im mexikanischen Cancun (10. bis 14.9.) internationale
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Umweltabkommen wie das Biosafety-Protokoll anerkennt und unterstuetzt.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Das Biosafety-Protokoll darf nicht durch die WTO-Klage ausgehebelt
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
werden.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
In Europa werden nur in Spanien Gen-Pflanzen kommerziell angebaut.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Dort waechst seit 1998 genmanipulierter Mais (genannt Bt-176) des
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Schweizer Konzerns Syngenta. Doch ein neuer Report von Greenpeace und
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
von Friends of the Earth belegt nun, dass Spanien den falschen Weg
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
eingeschlagen hat. "In Spanien tobt das totale Chaos. Gen-Mais gelangt
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
unkontrolliert auf benachbarte Felder und in die Lebensmittel", so
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Brendel.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Es gibt keine verlaesslichen Zahlen darueber, welche Mengen Gen-Mais,
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
wo und von wem angebaut werden. Bei Tests von spanischem Oeko-Mais
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
wurden bereits Verunreinigungen durch Gen-Mais bestaetigt. Die
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
betroffenen Landwirte verloren ihre Oeko-Zertifizierung und
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Absatzmaerkte. Zudem enthaelt der angebaute Gen-Mais Bt-176 ein so
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
genanntes Antibiotika-Resistenzgen. Werden diese Gene ueber die
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Nahrung aufgenommen, koennen sie sich auf krankheitserregende
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Bakterien im menschlichen Darm uebertragen und Immunitaet gegen
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Antibiotika hervorrufen. Die Britische Aerztevereinigung fordert
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
deshalb ein Verbot solcher Gene im Essen. In Deutschland deckte
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Greenpeace letztes Jahr drei illegale Aecker mit Bt-176 auf.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Greenpeace fordert, Verbraucher und Landwirte muessen sich auch
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
weiterhin gegen Gentechnik entscheiden koennen. Von
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Verbraucherschutzministerin Renate Kuenast (Gruene) verlangt die
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Umweltorganisation daher ein oeffentliches Gen-Kataster, strenge
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Ueberwachungen und klare Haftungsregelungen. Dabei muss das
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Verursacherprinzip gelten: Wer gefaehrliche Gen-Pflanzen produziert,
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
muss fuer die Schaeden aufkommen.
</font><br>
<br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
=====================================================
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
Greenpeace Activist News, Vol. 3, No. 8, 28 August 2003
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
=====================================================
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
FRANKENFOOD AND THE WTO
</b></font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
The world's governments will be gathering for the World Trade Organisation's 5th Ministerial Conference in Cancun, Mexico, from 10 to 14 September. Greenpeace is going to this meeting to push for trade rules that reflect the environmental, social and economic priorities of the world's citizens, not just the world's corporations.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
We have launched a weblog to keep you updated on what is going on in Cancun this September, and we encourage you to read it, react to it, and take action by sending your comments to Cancun!
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://weblog.greenpeace.org/wto/
</u></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Greenpeace's major focus in Cancun will be opposing the spread of genetically engineered food.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
On 13 May the US government declared a global war on consumers, farmers and the environment when it filed a complaint in the World Trade Organisation against the European Union's de facto moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMOs). However, the fact is the moratorium was due to be lifted within months anyway.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
So why the rush?
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
The real target of US aggression against GMO restrictions is the EU's new comprehensive GMO labeling laws.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
The WTO case is the first step in a worldwide campaign to promote Frankenfood, so people everywhere should be concerned.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
To find out more, please join the more than 7000 people who have participated in our cyberaction here:
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://act.greenpeace.org/ams/e?a=859&s=gen
</u></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2><b>
Biotech Activists (
</b></font><font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u><b>
biotech_activists@iatp.org
</b></u></font><font face="Arial" size=2><b>
), 27.8.03
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2><b>
=====================================================
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2><b>
SOUTH AFRICA:
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2><b>
Government hand's out free GM seeds to farmers
</b></font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
The Department of Agriculture has been handing out free genetically
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
modified (GM) maize seeds to small-scale farmers as a means of spreading
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
the controversial crops in South Africa. Thoko Makhanya of Safeage
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
said yesterday agricultural extension officers were giving away
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
free GM seed in KwaZulu-Natal, while Monsanto, the multi-national seed giant,
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
was giving away free GM seed in the Eastern Cape.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
The issue under discussion was the draft Biodiversity Bill which
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
has dropped a section that dealt with genetically modified organisms
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
(GMOs). This meant the Department of Environment Affairs would relinquish
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
its control over GMOs, which would be controlled by the Department of
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Agriculture under the Genetically Modified Organisms Act.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
The groups submitted that this act was flawed. They said the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Department of Agriculture, which promoted GMOs, should not also be the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
government agent which oversaw safeguards against the risks associated
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
with GMOs.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
Elfrieda Pschorn-Strauss of Biowatch said the government was under
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
enormous international political pressure to push GMOs: "This GM
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
technique is patented, companies own it. Farmers sign an agreement
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
that they will not save seed for the next year's crop. They have to buy
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
seed again the next year from these companies."
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
While commercial farmers could afford this, most poorer farmers
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
could not. About 90% of small-scale farmers in Africa saved seed from one
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
year to the next. "This is a critical issue. With GM crops, small-scale farmers will
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
become completely reliant on and controlled by big foreign companies for
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2>
their food supply," Pschorn-Strauss said.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
=====================================================
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
Dispute Settlement Body 18 August 2003
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
US, Canada and Argentina request panel to examine EU moratorium on biotech
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><b>
products
</b></font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
=====================================================
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
The US, Canada and Argentina introduced their first-time panel requests.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
They all stated that, regarding EC-level measures, the moratorium
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
maintained since October 1998 on the approval of biotech products had
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
restricted the imports of agricultural and food products. Regarding the EC
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
member State-level measures, the complainants said that a number of EC
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
member States maintain national marketing and import bans on biotech
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
products even though those products have already been approved by the EC.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
... The US emphasized that the EC procedures, as written, are
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
not the focus of the US complaint. It is the EC's application of its
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
measures governing the approval of biotech products. ...
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Argentina added that agricultural products account for over half of
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
Argentina's total exports, and that it is the second largest producer and
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
exporter of biotech products in the world. Argentina said that the EC's
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
behaviour discourages the introduction of the biotech process, and that it
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
is particularly detrimental because EC has the ability to influence other
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
WTO members.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
In response, the EC expressed surprise and disappointment at the panel
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
requests. The EC said that it had repeatedly made clear that the approval
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
of genetically-modified organisms and genetically-modified food was
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
possible in the EU, that a number of applications were being examined and
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
decisions would be taken shortly. The EC further pointed out that 18 GMOs
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
and 15 food products derived from GMOs have been approved and that these GM
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
products are imported each year by the EC.
</font><br>
<br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
...The EC emphasized that every country should be free to make its
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
own decisions and to determine the appropriate level of protection for its
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
citizens. The EC concluded by saying that it could not agree to the
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000>
establishment of a panel.
</font><br>
<font face="Arial" size=2 color=#000000><u>
http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news03_e/dsb_18aug03_e.htm
</u></font><br>
</body>
</html>