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Post-Moratorium EU Regulation of Genetically Modified Products: Triffid Flax

Author

Listed:
  • Viju, Crina
  • Yeung, May T.
  • Kerr, William A.

Abstract

The regulatory regime for contamination permits the imposition of import bans with neither a scientific justification nor a risk assessment. No scientific assessment of Triffid flax was done prior to the import ban. The import regime put in place to deal with the contamination of flax with the GM-flax CDC Triffid provides no rationale for the thresholds of safety established for the testing regime. The EU is consistently pushing for commercial, economic and social considerations to be included, along with science, in decision-making. Such considerations are often perceived as avenues for economic protection to creep into EU decision-making. Such considerations can, however, cut both ways. The Canada-EU testing regime for Triffid makes provision for, but does not necessarily require, the testing of cargoes when they reach European ports (Western Producer, 2010). The risks associated with inspection upon arrival made exports to Europe too risky. By only requiring the passing of the tests prior to product leaving Canada, flexibility to find alternative markets for contaminated cargoes has been gained. Thus, while costly, the testing regime for flax exports to the EU has allowed for the resumption of Canadian flax exports to the EU. Of course, the import Protocol negotiated between the EU and Canada was a one off. In a future case, economic and commercial considerations could be used to bolster economic protection. This is why science was agreed upon as the arbitrator of SPS-based trade barriers by the Member States of the WTO, including the EU. Thus, the EU regulatory regime for GM-products would seem open to a new challenge at the WTO. Of course, the political consequences of such a challenge would have to be carefully weighed.

Suggested Citation

  • Viju, Crina & Yeung, May T. & Kerr, William A., 2011. "Post-Moratorium EU Regulation of Genetically Modified Products: Triffid Flax," Commissioned Papers 116849, Canadian Agricultural Trade Policy Research Network.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:catpcp:116849
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.116849
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    Cited by:

    1. Kerr, William A., 2012. "The EU-Canada Free Trade Agreement: What is on the Table for Agriculture?," 86th Annual Conference, April 16-18, 2012, Warwick University, Coventry, UK 135067, Agricultural Economics Society.
    2. de Faria, Rosane Nunes & Wieck, Christine, 2014. "Measuring The Extent Of Gmo Asynchronous Approval Using Regulatory Dissimilarity Indices: The Case Of Maize And Soybean," 2014 International Congress, August 26-29, 2014, Ljubljana, Slovenia 182796, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    3. Kerr, William A. & Hobbs, Jill E., 2012. "Busy Bees, Zero Tolerance, Foregone Trade and Inhibited Investment: Can the Global Divide Over GM Foods Be Bridged?," 2012 Conference, August 18-24, 2012, Foz do Iguacu, Brazil 125161, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    4. Baddeley, Shane & Cheng, Peter & Wolfe, Robert, 2011. "Trade Policy Implications of Carbon Labels on Food," Commissioned Papers 122740, Canadian Agricultural Trade Policy Research Network.
    5. Kerr, William A., 2014. "Food Security and Trade: Some Supply Conundrums for 2050," Estey Centre Journal of International Law and Trade Policy, Estey Centre for Law and Economics in International Trade, vol. 15(2), pages 1-18.
    6. de Faria, Rosane Nunes & Wieck, Christine, 2015. "Empirical evidence on the trade impact of asynchronous regulatory approval of new GMO events," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 22-32.

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