The leaders of the eight most economically powerful nations failed to agree on a position regarding genetically modified foods at their annual G-8 meeting, held in July in Okinawa, Japan. The ambiguously titled “Biotechnology/Food Safety” portion of their final communiqué (paragraphs 55 to 59) touched on several issues, but mostly left resolution of them to the on-going efforts of existing bodies. In it, the G-8 leaders do refer to the need for scientifically defensible regulation and, by not sanctioning a new international body to consider the issues, have avoided further delaying an accord. However, some observers think the communiqué indirectly supports modification by recombinant DNA techniques as the trigger for oversight.
Many countries in Europe want to stop the import of non-EU GM products because of the recalcitrance of European national regulators in approving commercial crop planting of European crops. Ostensibly, the European governments cite safety concerns as a basis for opposition because this provides a means for exemption from World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. These countries also favor hard-line invocation of the precautionary principle, which holds that all new products should be proven safe before they can be used. Before approving GM foods and crops, the European Union is now endeavoring to put in position legislation that provide not only oversight and post-approval environmental monitoring, but also corporate and individual environmental liability.
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