Cablegate: Canada Applauds Wto Ruling On Gmo Imports

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PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #3480 3321645
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 281645Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4517
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY 0576
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1221
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC PRIORITY

UNCLAS OTTAWA 003480

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR WHA/CAN AND EB/TPP
STATE PASS USTR
USDA FOR FAS/OSTR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAGR ECON ETRD EUN WTO CA
SUBJECT: CANADA APPLAUDS WTO RULING ON GMO IMPORTS

1. (U) On November 22, Canadian Agriculture Minister Chuck
Strahl and International Trade Minister David Emerson
welcomed the WTO's adoption of a ruling against the European
Union's (EU) treatment of imports of genetically modified
organisms (GMOs). Emerson said that "the (Canadian)
government has long argued that there was no scientific basis
for the EU to delay GMO imports, which created an unjustified
barrier to trade. This ruling will enable Canadian producers
to access European markets and effectively market their
products." Stahl described the ruling as a "big win" for
Canada's agricultural industry, particularly the
biotechnology sector. He said that "Canadian developers,
producers, processors and exporters are at the forefront of
the industry, and can now export their innovative
technologies and products to European markets."

2. (U) Canada had argued to the WTO panel that the EU had
imposed an unjustified moratorium on the approval of
biotechnology products between June 1999 and August 2003,
which amounted to an effective ban on the import of these
products. The GoC sees this as a timely victory as the
demand for oilseeds in Europe is growing as a result of EU
policy to promote the use of bio-diesel. The WTO decision
has the potential to significantly benefit Canadian
producers, who grow a number of grain and oilseed varieties
that were not approved under the EU's GMO moratorium.

Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa

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