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PRESS RELEASE 28th
of May 2003 |
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PRESS RELEASE 28th
of May 2003 |
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EGYPT WITHDRAWS FROM WTO GM COMPLAINT
US-led coalition starts to crumble Attempts by the United States Administration to force Europe to accept GM food and crops have been dealt a blow after Egypt announced that it would not be part of a WTO challenge to the European Union’s de facto moratorium on approving new GM licenses. The Egyptian Government says that it has taken its decision because it recognizes “the need to preserve adequate and effective consumer and environmental protection.” On
13 May the United States said that it would be joined by
Argentina, Canada and Egypt in filing a World Trade Organisation
(WTO) case
against
Europe over “its illegal five-year moratorium on approving agricultural
biotech products” [1]. But the Egyptian Government says that
it
has
decided “not to become a party” to the WTO complaint. In a letter
[2] it
says “The Government of Egypt took this decision in conscious
emulation
of the need to preserve adequate and effective consumer and environmental Europeans are concerned about the threat that GM crops pose to food, farming and the environment. There are also fears about the long-term health impacts from eating GM food. Opinion polls show that 70% of the European public don’t want GM food and 94% want to be able to choose whether or not they eat it (Eurobarometer 2001). Friends of the Earth Europe’s GM campaigner Geert Ritsema said: “We’re delighted that Egypt has withdrawn from this US attempt to force GM food and crops into Europe. Countries should be allowed to choose what they eat and what they grow in their fields. The United States should withdraw its WTO challenge, and stop trying to bully Europe over GMOs.” ------------------------------------ For more information: Friends
of the Earth is the largest grassroots environmental
network in the world |
