Current agricultural trade negotiations within the  WTO continue to favour agri-business, supermarkets, and traders at the expense of sustainable family farmers, landless people, food workers, consumers and the environment. Existing, as well as most of the proposed rules threaten the right to food and the right to food production for local consumption, thus threatening the food sovereignty of all countries. 

In 1994, the EU and USA imposed rules within the WTO effectively legalising dumping (that is, the selling of products below production-costs). Current proposals to address the problem of dumping are proving meaningless, since the system of domestic support classification offers the possibility to legally categorize the new system of supporting agricultural export-production at prices below production-costs via direct payments. Unless further measures are sought, such as the ending of all forms of export competition, including export subsidies, dumping will continue. 

Demand 1

In order for the EU to gain social and environmental legitimacy internationally (meaning remunerative farm prices, sustainable production, supply management, priority to local/regional markets) the EU must

• change its agricultural policy,

• defend a ban on any form of subsidy used to export under the production costs at the international level (including the present use of the green box),

• defend the right for all countries to protect themselves from excessively cheap agricultural import, and

• defend the right of all countries or unions to support agriculture when not being exported below production costs.

70% of European citizens do not want to eat GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). Such products take away consumer choice, make farmers dependent on a few large companies and undermine food security in developing countries. Increasingly studies show that GMOs do inflict serious damage to wildlife and biodiversity. To force GMO products into global markets, a US-led coalition has filed a legal dispute in the WTO accusing the European Union of blocking trade by restricting GMOs imports. A decision is expected to be taken in December 2005 and, if the US is successful in its pursuit, not only will the EU be forced to accept Genetically Modified food and farming, but so will also the rest of the world.

Demand 2

European governments must place the well-being of their citizens, consumers, and the environment before the interests of the biotechnology industry and those of the US. Based on the wishes of its citizens, the EU must stop approving new genetically modified products and must maintain national bans whilst developing legislation for GM free zones in order to guarantee the right of European Governments and the rest of the world to remain GMO-free. The EU must clearly reject any decision resulting from the current WTO dispute that would lead to the introduction of GM food into European markets.

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