EU Doesn't Tell Africa GM Foods Are Unsafe

PASCAL LAMY, EU Trade Commissioner / Wall Street Journal 17jan03

You should do a little independent thinking rather than simply repeat the views of U.S. cabinet members against the EU and its alleged stance on GM foods ("Immoral Europe," Review & Outlook, Jan. 13 [below]).

The Case for Caution Newsweek International 27jan03

To say Europe is "bullying Africa into refusing to accept American food aid even though millions are malnourished and starving" is downright irresponsible. The EU has never suggested to African governments that GM foods are unsafe -- in fact, we made available to them our scientific research for the GM varieties we have approved. Neither has it said that GM should not be allowed into their countries. As a matter of fact, authorized GMOs are freely traded in the EU.

Neither Europe nor even the U.S. has the right to tell sovereign African nations what kind of food aid they should accept, or not accept. Moreover, choices for developing countries should not be limited to "accept GM food aid or starve." The EU's own policy is to source food aid regionally, thus ensuring that the countries in need receive the foodstuffs to which they are accustomed as well as helping local economies. Milling the grains is also a means of ensuring that the concerns expressed by these countries about possible dissemination of GMOs into local crops are addressed while providing much-needed food aid.

Food aid to Southern Africa should be about meeting the urgent humanitarian needs of those who are starving. It should not be about trying to advance the case for GM food, or planting GM crops for export, or finding outlets for domestic surplus. This in turn is immoral.

Finally, it is misleading and wrong to use as a serious argument a casual rumor that no U.S. official has ever substantiated, and that can't be done because it is wrong -- that EU member states are "making economic development aid contingent on whether or not they prohibit biotech crops." We very much regret that U.S. officials are peddling this rumor, and even more that you gave credence to it without checking with the EU.

Pascal Lamy
EU Trade Commissioner
Washington

(The letter is also signed by Franz Fischler, EU agriculture and fisheries commissioner; Poul Nielson, development and humanitarian aid commissioner; David Byrne, health and consumer protection commissioner; Margot Wallstrom, environment commissioner, and Chris Patten, external relations commissioner.)

'Immoral' Europe

Wall Street Journal 13jan03

Government officials usually speak in diplomatic niceties, even code, so when U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick uses the words "immoral" and "Luddite" to describe our friends the Europeans, it's worth paying attention.

Mr. Zoellick was referring last week to the European Union's continued refusal to accept genetically modified food. Europe has long used "health concerns" as a front for trade restrictions, such as its ban on hormone-injected beef. But it is now bullying Africa into refusing to accept American food aid even though millions are malnourished or starving.

Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa turned away 26,000 tons of food in October, for fear genetically modified (GM) corn would cross-pollinate with non-GM crops in his country and upset Europe -- his biggest export market. Mr. Zoellick says European countries are making economic aid to developing countries contingent on whether they prohibit biotech crops.

Thus the apt word, "immoral." GM crops have been declared safe by the most cautious agencies, and have never been linked to any illness, allergy or fatality. Genetic modification produces healthier, cheaper, more abundant food and is many poor countries' main hope for the future.

"I see something extremely disturbing," Mr. Zoellick said bluntly. "The European anti-scientific view spreading to other parts of the world -- not letting Africans eat food you and I eat and instead letting people starve." Tough, but true.