International: WTO Dispute Panel
Defra statement (21 February 2006): WTO Dispute Panel’s interim report on the EU’s alleged “moratorium” on approvals of GMOs
Defra has received a number of letters and e-mails in response to recent press reports and campaigns regarding the interim report of the World Trade Organisation’s Dispute Panel on the approval in the EU of Genetically Modified Organisms. This case was brought to the WTO by the US, Canada and Argentina in August 2003. These countries alleged that the EU had in place a ‘de facto moratorium’ on its GM approvals procedures which effectively blocked the approval of new GM products, and thus prevented their import to the EU.
Rules agreed by all WTO members stipulate that an interim panel report is confidential, and is only circulated to the parties to the dispute in order for them to send comments to the panel in advance of the final ruling. The UK Government respects the WTO rules and will make no comment on this case until the final ruling is issued and made publicly available.
Useful background to this case and the EU’s regulatory regime can be found on the European Commission’s website.
Page published 21
February 2006;
Page last modified
17 March, 2006