NEWS OF f HE WEEK TRANSGENIC
CROPS
FIGHT OVER CROP APPROVALS U.S. lodges formal complaint over EU's alleged ban on approvals
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N MAY 13, THE U.S., IN COL-
laboration with Argentina, Canada, and Egypt, filed a formal complaint with the "World Trade Organization (WTO) to force the European Union to lift its de facto moratorium on approvals of new, genetically modified (GM) crops. The European Commission calls this move "legally unwarranted, economically unfounded, and politically unhelpful." The suit is expected to exacerbate economic tensions between the U.S. and the E U Recently, W T O ruled against the U.S. in trade lawsuits brought by the EU involving steel tariffs and tax shelters for overseas corporations.
G O V E R N M E N T
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The U.S. claims the EU informal ban on new G M crop approvals has led to hundreds of millions of dollars' worth of lost exports into Europe. Rep. J. Dennis H a s t e r t (R-Ill.) says American farmers' corn exports have been reduced by $300 million annually because of the European moratorium. "The EU moratorium has sent a devastating signal to developing countries that stand to benefit most from innovative agricultural technologies," U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick explains. For example, Zambia, under famine conditions, refused G M crops as food aid.
POLICY
CHEMICAL SECURITY BILL STALLS Senate committee cancels vote over dispute on safer technologies
S
ENATORS ON THE ENVIRON-
ment & Public W^rks Committee failed last week to agree on legislation requiring chemical companies to take measures to limit the impact of a terrorist attack on a chemical plant. Consequently, committee Chairman James M. Inhofe (ROkla.) canceled a May 15 markup hearing to allow members to amend and vote on the bill, a committee spokesman says. The differences split largely along party lines with most Democrats, joined by a few Republicans, still HTTP://WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
committed to legislation written by Sen. Jon S. Corzine (D-NJ.), which passed the committee but died on the Senate floor last year. Most Republicans, but not a committee majority, support a Bush Administration bill sponsored by Inhofe (C&EN, April 14, page 7). Both bills would require companies to determine their terrorist vulnerability and take security measures. The main disagreement, says the spokesman, is over a requirement that companies consider inherently safer technologies as
The EU contends, however, that its informal moratorium was lifted last year. "The fact is that the EU" authorized two G M cottonseed oils in the past year and "is currently processing applications," says EU Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy The EU Parliament is completing legislation that will require labeling of G M food and feed. "This is essential to restore consumer confidence in genetically modified organisms in Europe," says David Byrne, EU commissioner for health and consumer protection. The lack of consumer demand for G M products accounts for the low sales in the EU, he claims.-BETTE HILEMAN
"TheEUis violating basic WTO obligations to maintain afood approval process that is based on sufficient scientific evidence' and [to act] without 'undue delay.'" - U . S . Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick
an alternative to security measures. The Inhofe and Bush approach does not call for this; Corzine's does. Other disagreements are over what penalties should exist for violating the law, whether the antiterrorism plans should be held by the Department of Homeland Security or simply housed at the company, and what elements of company antiterrorism plans can be made public. Inhofe and Bush's approach leans toward less public access and allows companies to keep the plans on-site. N o new m a r k u p date was set, but the Senate committee spokesman says: "We aren't giving up because it is too important an issue. We still want to get done as quickly as possible." A national approach for chemical plant antiterrorism control has been under Senate discussion for more than ayear.-JEFF JOHNSON C & E N / MAY 19. 2003
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