EU Settles WTO Dispute with Argentina over Biotech Agriculture

The European Union (EU) and Argentina have apparently reached an agreement in a dispute before the World Trade Organization (WTO) involving genetically engineered products and the application of biotechnology to agriculture. The agreement, which provides for the establishment of a regular dialogue on these issues, follows a similar agreement the EU struck with Canada, which, along with Argentina and the United States, challenged the EU’s legislation on biotech products.

The WTO dispute settlement body previously found that the EU violated international agreements by applying a general de facto moratorium on the approval of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) from 1999 to 2003 and imposing undue delays on the approval of 23 product specific applications. The WTO also found that six member states failed to base their national safeguard measures on appropriate risk assessment.

According to EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht, “This is the second settlement regarding the WTO case on GMOs that is reached. This is certainly a recognition by Canada and Argentina as much as the EU that the best approach to this complex issue is a regular dialogue. I hope the United States, the only remaining WTO complainant in this dispute, will soon come to the same conclusion.” An EU press release noted that while the agreement does not affect EU procedures for approving the import of biotech products, an exchange of information is viewed as a way to minimize potential obstacles to trade among countries with different GMO regulatory regimes. See EU Press Release, March 18, 2010.