thousands call for food safety
friends of the earth
international
In May 2004, Friends
of the Earth campaigners declared a
bio-hazard' area around the WTO's
headquarters in Geneva in protest of the
WTO dispute over genetically modified food.
They delivered a petition to the WTO signed
by more than 100,000 citizens from 90
countries and some 544 organizations
representing 48 million people.
More than 70 percent of citizens in the
European Union do not want genetically
modified organisms (GMOs) in their food.
However, US President George Bush and big
biotech companies are trying to use the
World Trade Organization (WTO) to force the
EU and the rest of the world to accept
genetically modified food and farming. This
is a grave violation of people's right to
decide what they want to eat and of
farmers' rights to grow the crops they
choose.
Biotech companies have invested billions
in GMO products with potentially harmful
impacts on human health and the
environment. Such products take away
consumer choice, make farmers dependent on
big business, and undermine food security
in developing countries. It is not yet
known what risks GMOs pose to people's
health and the environment.
To force genetically modified products
into global markets, President Bush filed a
legal dispute at the WTO, accusing the
European Union of blocking trade by
restricting GMOs. If successful, not only
will the EU have to accept genetically
modified food and farming but so will the
rest of the world.
In response, Friends of the Earth
International and more than 350 other
organizations – together representing 35
million citizens worldwide – launched the
‘Bite Back' campaign. This initiative
invites civil society around the world to
submit Citizens' Objections to the WTO,
demanding that the right to eat GMO-free
food not be undermined and that the US
complaint be dismissed. The first 100,000
Citizens' Objections were handed over to
the WTO in May 2004. A final ruling in the
case is expected in 2005.
more information:
Friends of the Earth International Bite
Back campaign:
www.bite-back.org
Friends of the Earth Europe:
www.foeeurope.org/biteback/index.htm
Friends of the Earth International GMO
campaign:
www.foei.org/gmo/index.html
