Reforming the WTO to defuse potential trade conflicts in genetically modified goods

As the member delegates of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) met in Seattle to discuss the agenda of the so-called Millennium Round, one of the major contentious issues was trade in genetically modified goods (GMGs). There is a very real possibility that unless some agreement can be reached regarding the principles upon which trade in GMGs can take place, a severe and damaging trade dispute will arise between the US and the EU. Many other countries have concerns regarding trade GMGs. That the US is particularly vexed regarding this issue can be seen by examining some trade statistics. For soybeans, where 35 percent of US output is composed of genetically modified varieties, exports to the EU declined from 9 million tons in 1997 to 6.4 millions tons in 1998. A similar picture arises in the trade in corn (maize). In 1997, 1.6 million tons was exported to the EU while in 1998 the figure had fallen to 0.3 million tons. The domestic pressures that these events put on the US authorities to deal with international trade issues pertaining to GMGs are easy to understand. Genetic modification is probably going to be one of the most significant technological changes of the modern scientific era. This is because the ability to transfer genetic material between species in ways which cannot be achieved through natural reproduction will give mankind greater control over the biological factors that affect its existence. Genetic modification has the potential to affect the health of individuals, the productiveness of natural resources and the environment.