US Gov't Sends its Biotech
Bullies to Croatia

Below is a letter sent from the US government to Croatia in response to
a possible ban on GMOs.

Embassy of the United States of America - Zagreb

Date: November 29, 2001

To: Ms. Ivana Jelenicc and Ms. Jasminka Radovic
Department of Biodiversity and Leadership Protection
Ministry for Environmental Protection and Physical Planning

Tel: 6106-551
Fax: 6118-388

From: Jill F. Byrnoa, First Secretary
Political-Economic Section

Dear Ms. Jelenic and Ms. Radovic:

Attached please find a non paper outlining the concerns of the U.S.
Government about Croatia's draft interim legislation on genetically
modified organisms and products. As you will recall, this was the
subject of a meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture on September 19.

I have sent the non paper to Ms. Bozica Rukavina at the Ministry of
Agriculture and Forestry, with the request that she contact you and
representatives of other ministries to organize a meeting so that I can
learn the reactions of the Croatian government tot he non paper.

I am looking forward to hearing from Ms. Rukavina so that we can
continue the dialogue on this important subject. I am also grateful for
the opportunity to participate in the Ministry's upcoming Roundtable
(December
10) as a chance to learn more about the Croatian Government's vies.

Sincerely,

Jill F. Byrnoa
------------------------------------------

U.S. Embassy Zagreb
November 28, 2001

United States Views on Croatian Interim Legislation On Genetically
Modified Organisms and Products

We understand that Croatia is proposing to ban or restrict the
importation, marketing, use, and production of genetically modified
organisms and products until such time as specific legislation
regulating the use of biotechnology has been finalized and adopted. Has
Croatia notified this proposed action to the WTO?

When establishing any measure related to biotechnology, countries need
to take into consideration the range of disciplines under existing
agreements, including the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement and
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement, to ensure compliance with
WTO measures. The United States Government is concerned that a ban will
undermine the science-based, rules-based approach to food safety as
agreed to under the WTO, as well as unfairly restrict trade.

Further, under Annex B of the SPS Agreement, members are obligated to
notify the WTO if an SPS regulation is proposed that could affect trade
of other members, and to consider comments submitted in response to the
notification. Regulations related to food safety must also be based on
science.

We wish to emphasize that the approach to the safety evaluation of
biotech foods has been and continues to be examined by a number of
international fora and scientific bodies. The FAO/WHO, OECD, the
National Academies of Science of several countries (including the United
States), and the American Medical Association have determined that there
is no scientific evidence indicating that biotech products currently
being marketed pose any threat to human or animal health.

We also wish to not that the U.S. Government has a well-coordinated
interagency system to ensure that new agricultural biotechnology
products are safe for human and animal consumption. All of the food
products that are exported by the U.S. are the same as those present in
the U.S. food supply.

"Roundup ready" soybeans and some varieties of biotech corn have been
approved in several countries including the European Union. Biotech corn
and soy ingredients are present in a wide range of food and feed
products originating in the United States, Canada, and Argentina; as
well a processed products from most other exporting countries.

With regard to trade, we would caution against implementing a ban
without first considering the practical aspects that such a ban would
severely disrupt Croatia's importation of food and feed, from all
sources.

We would suggest that you use caution in implementing EU biotech
directives, which require substantial infrastructure and institutional
capacity to carry out. The EU's approval process has not been
operational since 1999, and no new products have been approved since
that time.

The United States is interested in working with Croatia to develop
policies for biotech products, which would include both technical and
trade considerations.

In conclusion, we formally request that the Government of Croatia not
ban biotech food products that have been demonstrated to be as safe as
conventional food products in the United States and elsewhere, unless
Croatia can provide evidence indicating otherwise. If such a ban is
implemented, the U.S. must consider its rights under the WTO.