Trouble in Paradise
USA, the driving force behind the Miami group, is the world's largest producer of GMOs and biogenetic pharmaceuticals. It exports $60 billion a year in agricultural products. It is currently engaged in a trade war with the EU over bananas and is poised to impose 100 per cent tariffs on $520 million worth of products exported by the EU. The US has a history of bad blood with the EU over trade in GMOs. The EU, due to consumer pressure after the beef hormone case, is keen that the provisions of the existing WTO sanitary and phyto-sanitary agreement be re-examined and broadened to enable restriction of imports based on science combined with socio-economic and environmental factors. The EU is looking for greater flexibility on import decisions on GMOs and hormone produced foods and the US is seeking to limit that flexibility to further its trade interests.
Says Melinda Kimble, USunder-secretary of state: "We are the largest producer of biotech products... and we have a very big stake in ensuring that trade in these products continues. Ensuring that we do another round in the new WTOagreement is a priority for us. Rule-based trade has got to be part of our agenda, and we have to balance environmental concerns that evolve from this kind of process.'