Protests against
GM food
and the Bush administration
in Croatia.
In face of the potential risks associated
with GMOs, many countries have decided to
adopt strict measures regulating
genetically modified food. On every
continent, governments have adopted or
prepared moratoria, bans or legislation to
prevent the unregulated flow of GM crops.
The European Union froze new authorizations
for GM crops in 1998. Croatia prepared a
draft law for a moratorium on GMOs in 2001.
In Asia , Sri Lanka prepared a Food Act
with the goal of banning GM food. Japan and
South Korea adopted new labeling rules for
GMOs. In Latin America , Paraguay imposed a
moratorium in 1998 and Bolivia banned GMOs
in 2001. In Africa , Benin adopted a
moratorium in 2002.
Close on the heels of these measures,
biotech companies and pro-biotech
governments such as the US started putting
overwhelming pressure on these countries,
threatening them with trade sanctions via
the World Trade Organization (WTO).
sri lanka shrinks from gmo
ban
Early in 2001, the Sri Lankan government
drafted a Food Act that would ban GMOs. The
Act aimed to protect the Sri Lankan people
from the potential and incompletely
understood impacts of GMOs.
The US immediately mounted opposition to
the proposed ban. The Agricultural
Counselor from the US Embassy in India
threatened to challenge the ban under the
WTO, which could have cost Sri Lanka US$190
million in penalties if they refused to
lift the ban.
Sri Lankan NGOs, including Friends of
the Earth, mounted a campaign to urge their
government to withstand the threat of a
trade challenge. More than 200 consumer,
farm and environmental groups worldwide
added their voices in protest of the Bush
administration's challenge to Sri Lanka 's
food safety laws. Ultimately, due to
pressure from the US as well as Australia ,
the Food Act ban was deferred
indefinitely.
us bullies croatia to accept
gmos
In June 2001, four Croatian ministries
agreed on the text of a draft law to ban
GMOs and derived products until a more
specific regulatory framework is in place.
The ban was proposed because of the
possible negative impacts of the
introduction of GMOs on the environment and
human health in Croatia .
By September 2001, Croatia was under
increasing pressure from the US to drop the
draft law. In a memo dated November 28th
from the US Embassy in Zagreb to the
Croatian Ministry of Environment, the US
tried to put trade before environmental
protection, stating: “If such a ban is
implemented, the US government must
consider its rights under the WTO.” In
December, environmental groups
participating in a roundtable on biosafety
organized by the Croatian Environmental
Ministry denounced the US bullying of their
government about its plans for a GMO
moratorium.
The memo from the US Embassy also
asserted that biotech food products “have
been demonstrated to be as safe as
conventional food products in the US and
elsewhere”. However, in response to this
memo, US NGOs asserted in a letter
addressed to the Croatian Minister of
Environment that the US regulatory
framework and monitoring policies are
currently not sufficient to conclude that
GMOs are safe.
Although a total ban on GMOs was not
adopted due to US intimidation, Croatia
finally implemented strict legislation on
GMOs in 2003. The legislation does not
allow GMO releases in protected areas,
buffer zones, or areas for eco-tourism or
organic agriculture. There are also
provisions for labeling, and no thresholds
for GM content. In short, although US
pressure managed to prevent the
establishment of a ban, Croatia adopted a
law that in practice prevents GM crops from
entering the country.
revoked bolivian ban traced to
biotech lobby
Bolivia adopted a resolution banning
GMOs in January 2001. It outlawed the
import of products, sub-products and
foodstuffs of agricultural origin derived
from GM crops during a one-year period from
January to December 2001. The Bolivian
government adopted these precautionary
measures because of the potential risks of
GMOs to human health and the
environment
In August 2001, the Bolivian government
pledged to extend the ban past the end of
the year, and to upgrade it to a “Supreme
Decree” having the full force of law. This
promise was made in a written agreement
between the Bolivian government, farm
workers and small farmers' organizations.
Unexpectedly, however, the government was
forced to revoke the legislation due to
pressure from Argentina and its
agri-biotech corporations. The ban was
revoked without warning in October.
In a leaked memo from the Bolivian
government, it is asserted that “the
(Argentinean) soy corporate sector is
behind it, because they export five
thousand millions of dollars of genetically
modified soy to Europe and North America
”.. Farmers' and environmental
organizations in Bolivia vowed to keep
demanding that their country regulate GMOs
despite pressure from other countries.
Since the Environmental and Development
Bolivian Forum discovered that food aid to
Bolivia contained genetically modified
ingredients, concern is even greater. The
Association of Agro-ecology Producers of
Bolivia has urged the establishment of
controls on food and seed imports from
countries like Argentina , Canada and the
US , together with the imposition of strong
sanctions on any corporation or
organization marketing GM products in
Bolivia .
more information:
Friends of the Earth Europe:
www.foeeurope.org/press/17.12.01.htm
Friends of the Earth Croatia:
www.zelenaakcija.
hr/eng/green_action.html
