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may 25, 2004, geneva ( switzerland
)
friends of the earth international
Hi-resolution pictures available at
www.foei.org/media/gallery.html
wto hands off our food, say 48 million in
global campaign
Environmental campaigners today declared a
‘bio-hazard' area around the headquarters of
the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in protest
at the WTO dispute over Genetically Modified
food. Campaigners delivered a petition
to the WTO signed by more than 100,000
citizens from 90 countries and more than 544
organizations representing 48 million people.
[1]
Signatories, including Archbishop Desmond
Tutu and French small farmers' leader Jose
Bové, say the WTO should not undermine the
sovereign right of any country to protect its
citizens and the environment from Genetically
Modified (GM) foods and crops.
The delivery of the petition (a ‘citizen's
objection') to the WTO comes as part of a
global ‘bite-back' campaign against a
complaint filed at the WTO by the US,
Argentina and Canada a year ago. [2] These
countries accuse the European Union of
blocking trade in GM crops and foods and May
25 is the official deadline for WTO countries
to submit evidence in the complaint.
The signatures were delivered after the
WTO's public symposium (25-27 May) was opened
by WTO director-general Supachai Panitchpakdi
and European chief trade negotiator Pascal
Lamy, among others.
Friends of the Earth International Trade
Campaigner Alexandra Wandel said in
Geneva:
"Tens of thousands of individuals around the
world have signed this petition to send a
clear message to the WTO to take their hands
off our food. The World Trade
Organisation has no right to impose GM crops
and food on any country. All around the
world, including in the US, Argentina and
Canada, people have backed this call. We will
not be bullied by the United States, biotech
companies or the WTO."
Campaigners from Friends of the Earth
International, which initiated this
‘bite-back: WTO hands off our food' campaign,
held two banners saying ‘WTO: Hands Off our
Food' and ‘WTO = bio-hazard'
Friends of the Earth International, the
world's largest grassroots environmental
federation with 68 national member groups in
as many countries and more than one million
individual members, wants the US, Canada and
Argentina to drop their complaint.
background information
:
In May 2003 the US, Canada and Argentina
filed a complaint with the WTO. The countries
claim that a European Union de-facto
moratorium and various national bans on
genetically modified crops made them lose
millions of dollars of potential exports.
By mounting this WTO dispute the US and
other GM crops exporters are trying to force
genetically modified food into the European
Union and other parts of the world where
citizens have serious and legitimate concerns
about the risks of GM foods and crops for
consumers, farmers, wildlife and the
environment.
If the WTO rules in favour of the US-led
coalition the EU faces economic sanctions or
must accept more GM food. Such a decision
would also make it more difficult for
developing countries to protect their
citizens from risks associated with GM crops
and foods. But it will help biotech
corporations access new markets more easily,
particularly in the South.
Signatories believe that decisions
concerning regulation of international trade
in GM organisms should be made in accordance
with the UN Biosafety Protocol and not by the
World Trade Organisation.
For more information contact Friends of the
Earth in Geneva:
In English: Helen Burley + 44- 7778
069930
In French: Ricardo Alvarez, + 44 7810
558245
In German: Markus Steigenberger +49 - 173
923 4747
Alexandra Wandel, +49 172 748 39 53
Adrian Bebb +49 (0)1609 490 1163
notes to editors
:
[1] Detailed information is available at
http://www.bite-back.org/
This citizen's objection was initiated by
Friends of the Earth International with the
support of ActionAid Alliance, Public
Services International, Public Citizen, the
International Gender and Trade Network, the
French Confédération Paysanne, and the Indian
Research Foundation for Science, Technology
and Ecology.
[2] Hi-resolution pictures of the event will
be available at
www.foei.org/media/gallery.html
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