Leaked full report From the WTO about GMO Dispute
WTO Report

These 2 files make up a leaked copy of the secret draft ruling in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute over GM foods.

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COP7: Convention on Biodiversity

Some 2500 delegates currently meet in Malaysia to negotiate about how to protect biodiversity and about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the Biodiversity Convention (CBD) and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

There are numerous open issues and concerns (Summary) like the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities, Protected Areas (1 | 2), Technology Transfer, Access and Benefit Sharing, Traditional Knowledge, Biopiracy (1|2), as well as 'smaller' issues like the rights of coastal fishing communities, Terminator seeds/GURTs (video).

Besides the delegates, there are numerous members from NGOs and from Indigenous Peoples organizations, because in contrast to other UN conventions the CBD allows for some relevant participation, even though of course there is a lack of equity, and for the usual side events and actions like the Captain Hook Awards for Biopiracy or the Biodiversity Sale
The main fight has been so far to keep the WTO out of the CBD and to secure the right of Indigenous Peoples in New Zealand.

[ Updates, statements, reports and video interviews from COP7/MOP1 are posted on BiotechIMC | Daily ECO newsletter | ETC group | Third World Network | Biotech Slam Poetry | video interviews: Terminator 1 | Terminator 2 | Technology Transfer | Pesticides| UK environmental minister on GM crops in the UK (1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6) ]

WTO - GM crops, food aid and the Biosafety Protocol

From 10 to 14 September 2003, the World Trade Organization will meet for the Fifth WTO Ministerial Conference, the highest decision-making body of the WTO. Criticism on the WTO is strong, and Indymedia will be in Cancun to give reports, interviews and background information.

Biotechnology and genetically modified (GM) crops will be high on the agenda this time. On 18 August 2003, the USA, Canada and Argentina officially introduced their requests to the WTO Dispute Settlement Body, stating that the EU moratorium had restricted the imports of agricultural and food products. EU consumers and farmers are adamant that they want GMO-free food and agriculture, but powerful agribusiness interests (en, es) including Monsanto and the American Farm Bureau Federation have been pressuring (pdf) the US government to use the WTO to force Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) onto a hostile EU consumer market.

Several GM crops and food products are allowed in the European Union, but no new GM crops have been authorized for planting or use since spring 1998. This "de facto" moratorium was made 'official' in June 1999 when five Member States - Denmark, France, Greece Italy and Luxembourg - issued a declaration that they would effectively block new GMO approvals until the European Commission proposed legislation for traceability and labelling of GMOs and products derived therefrom, based on the Precautionary Principle. The five countries were later joined by Austria and Germany. In July 2003 such regulations were agreed upon in the European Parliament, and producers will have to apply to the rules by January 2004. The EU moratorium is therefore likely to change, no matter whether there is a WTO complain. However, the US is likely to see the new regulations as trade barriers as well.

Questions wanted for interviews
volunteers of Indymedia Biotech

During the WTO meeting at Cancun, numerous Indymedia volunteers will be around to report, to get background stories and to do interviews.


We want your expertise for that: Who should we interview? What should we ask them?

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