US-EU Dispute over Genetically Modified1 Foods

 

Broadcast:Feb 25, 2003
By Mario Ritter

This is the VOA Special English Agriculture Report.

The Bush administration has been trying to get the European Union to accept new genetically¹ engineered crops. The administration has talked about bringing a case to the World Trade Organization.

Earlier this month, however, officials said the administration had decided² not to bring a case at least for now. For one thing, they said the Iraq situation had made it harder to gather top administration officials to discuss trade. For another, a White House official told the New York Times that this was not a good time to risk angering European allies³.

But in recent days there have been conflicting reports about the possibility of legal action. An Agriculture Department trade adviser⁴ said no decision had been made.

The European Union stopped approving new genetically engineered crops in nineteen-ninety-eight. It does not ban imports of already approved products from the United States. However, these products must say that they contain "genetically modified" material.

American critics of the European policy say such products should not have to be specially⁵ marked. They point to studies that show such crops are safe.

United States Trade Representative Robert Zoellick has argued that genetically engineered foods could ease starvation in Africa. Some developing countries have refused to accept such food aid. One fear is that Europe will reject their food exports if they use genetically engineered seed. Mister Zoellick went so far as to call the European position "immoral⁶" -- a charge E-U officials rejected.

Public opinion is also an issue. Many Europeans do not want to buy genetically engineered foods. Many stores will not sell them. Americans generally do not know if the foods they eat contain such crops.

E-U officials have expressed concern about how these crops might effect the environment. There are other issues as well. Genetically engineered seed costs more. E-U officials have questioned the profitability2.

In two-thousand-one, the European Union created new rules for approving genetically engineered organisms. Top E-U food safety and agricultural officials say they do not oppose genetically changed products. They say they are only finishing a long process of creating rules for production and sale. E-U officials said now would not be a good time for the Bush administration to try to force the issue.
1. modified [5mCdIfaId] adj. 改良的, 改进的, 修正的
2. profitability [7prCfItE5bIlItI] n. 收益性, 利益率

1 genetically   

adv.遗传上

参考例句：

• All the bees in the colony are genetically related. 同一群体的蜜蜂都有亲缘关系。
• Genetically modified foods have already arrived on American dinner tables. 经基因改造加工过的食物已端上了美国人的餐桌。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 基因与食物

2 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

3 allies   

联盟国，同盟者； 同盟国，同盟者( ally的名词复数 )； 支持者； 盟军

参考例句：

• The allies would fear that they were pawns in a superpower condominium. 这个联盟担心他们会成为超级大国共管的牺牲品。
• A number of the United States' allies had urged him not to take a hasty decision. 美国的一些盟友已力劝他不要急于作决定。

4 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

5 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

6 immoral   

adj.不道德的，淫荡的，荒淫的，有伤风化的

参考例句：

• She was questioned about his immoral conduct toward her.她被询问过有关他对她的不道德行为的情况。
• It is my belief that nuclear weapons are immoral.我相信使核武器是不邪恶的。