On May 13, 2003 the US government filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the European Union’s de facto moratorium on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), as well as a number of EU member states’ national bans on GMOs. By doing so, it threatened consumers, farmers and the environment. The US argues that the EU moratorium is “illegal and unjustified” and that Europe has wrongly closed its markets to GM products. The EU moratorium was subsequently lifted; however, due to consumer rejection the EU food market remains closed to GMOs.

Download Document