Regulation of biotechnology: will we ever 'freely' trade GMOs?

The consumer’s attitude toward genetically modified foods in Taiwan

“…Many companies in Canada choose to label their GM products, but it is totally at their options to do so. In contrast, the EU position in favor of mandatory labeling (Haniotis, 2000;Sheldon, 2002) stems from the precautionary principle (i.e., prudence demands caution if the outcomes are unknown). In New Zealand, there are even no commercial releases or plantings of GM seeds.…”

On Butterflies and Frankenstein: A Dynamic Theory of Regulation

“…A particular case is the difference in GM technology regulation between the EU and the US. Since the end of the 1990s, EU legislation has put a de facto moratorium on the approval of GM products whereas the US has chosen to rely on pre-existing laws considering GM products as substantially equivalent to conventional ones (Sheldon 2002). This difference has traditionally been attributed to either differences in consumer preferences, or to trade protectionist motives.…”

Strategic Mandatory Labeling of Biotechnology Products in the Absence of Quality Difference

“…Exporting countries, on the other hand, argue that there is no sufficient scientific evidence to show GMOs are significantly dif-1 Sheldon (2002) investigated causes of the trade dispute over GMOs and patterns of regulation of GMOs in the United States, the EU, and other countries.…”

“…Labeling is required for any food containing GMOs above a 1 percent tolerance level in the EU and a 5 percent tolerance level in Japan. In addition to EU and Japan, more than 10 countries also require mandatory labeling (Sheldon, 2002). 3 Kerr provided detailed discussion on features of genetic modification.…”