EXTRACT: Europe has approved only "a handful" of biotech products in the past few years, and some approvals have been pending for over a decade, [US Trade Representative] spokeswoman Gretchen Hamel said.

Now, the United States will do everything in its power to ensure European complies with the WTO ruling, she added.
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EU drags heels on biotech food, U.S. lawmakers say
By Missy Ryan Reuters, November 15 2006 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/15/AR2006111501011.html

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States must pressure the European Union to stop dragging its feet on approving new imports of bioengineered food, senior U.S. lawmakers said in a letter released on Wednesday.

"The EU has avoided for too long its WTO obligations ... The illegal discrimination against biotech products on nonscientific grounds must cease," a group of lawmakers said in a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab.

Scientists have created bioengineered foods, such as higher vitamin content in rice, by inserting genes from things like daffodils into targeted products.

The EU has insisted on careful regulation of bioengineered food to screen for health or environmental risks.

The U.S. lawmakers, including the incoming chairs of the House and Senate Agriculture committees, want European officials to act quickly on the heels of a September 29 ruling by the World Trade Organization's dispute settlement body.

A main finding of that ruling was that a ban on approving new biotech products, which the EU had in place for four years until 2003, led to "undue delays."

Lawmakers here are skeptical Europe will heed the ruling.

"Winning the WTO case without achieving any positive changes in the approval process would greatly erode the credibility of the WTO in the eyes of U.S. agriculture," the lawmakers wrote.

The letter was signed by Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin and Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson, who are poised to lead the Senate and House Agriculture committees once Democrats take control of Congress in January.

The committees' outgoing chairs, Republicans Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, also signed the letter, along with the current heads of the powerful Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee.

The European Union says its current, updated regime for approving bioengineered products -- including a food safety authority based in Italy -- complies with WTO rules.

"The new system is science-based. We've set up a centralized procedure ... that's responsible for doing risk assessment" of bioengineered food, said Canice Nolan, who directs food safety, health and consumer affairs for the EU's delegation in Washington.

Nolan said he disagreed with the letter.

Europe has approved only "a handful" of biotech products in the past few years, and some approvals have been pending for over a decade, USTR spokeswoman Gretchen Hamel said.

Now, the United States will do everything in its power to ensure European complies with the WTO ruling, she added.

Nolan said the European Union had not decided if it would appeal the WTO's ruling. It has until late November to do so.

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