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EU Denies had GMO Moratorium, no Appeal Decision |
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| BELGIUM: February 9, 2006 | ||
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BRUSSELS - The European Union contests it had a moratorium on imports of genetically modified (GMO) crops and foods but it is too early to say whether it will appeal against a world trade ruling on its stance, an EU official said.
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The World Trade Organization ruled late on Tuesday that the EU and six member states broke trade rules by barring entry to GMO products between June 1999 and August 2003, according to diplomats who saw the report. "We dispute that a moratorium existed and contest the claim that delays (in approving imports of GMO’s) were excessive," the official told reporters on Wednesday on condition of anonymity. "The system is working, the science is sound. GMO imports to the EU are rising," he said. "The panel seems to have finally put an end to the false claim that the EU has a ban on GM products." "Our experts will now look into the findings. We are not even talking about an appeal at this time. It is only an interim report," another EU official said. EU experts had spent all night analysing the 1,050-page report - the longest in the WTO's history - and were still doing so. A final WTO ruling is expected in April. "We may or may not decide to appeal," she said.
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REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
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