USTR Schwab urges EU to hasten biotech approvals
Reuters just posted an article reporting that U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab plans to crack down on the European Union. Schwab has pledged to “watch for proof” that the European Union is accelerating approval of new biotech products. While she is not saying when she plans to do it, she did say that she will ask the World Trade Organization to probe whether the EU is in violation if it’s ruling that the EU was “dragging its feet” on the approval of new genetically modified food and crops.
C.S. Prakash
USTR Schwab urges EU to hasten biotech approvals
Reuters
January 30, 2008
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab on Tuesday pledged to watch for proof that the European Union is accelerating approval of new biotech products and ending a delay that has been costly to U.S. exporters.
Schwab declined to specify how long she might be willing to wait before she would ask the World Trade Organization to probe whether the EU is in violation of its ruling that found the 27-member bloc dragged its feet for years in approving new genetically modified food and crops.
"We have been tremendously frustrated at the lack of progress on the biotechnology issue," Schwab, who discussed the issue last week with European officials, told reporters.
"We need to see some progress," she said.
Earlier this month, Schwab's office announced it would give the EU more time to speed up its approval process and comply with the ruling.
