The Case for Caution.

When China, India and Zambia decided to resist genetically modified food, they were widely perceived as following Europe's lead. U.S. Trade Rep. Robert Zoellick has threatened to drag Europe before the World Trade Organization over its policy on such crops. Pascal Lamy, the European Union's trade commissioner, tries to set the record straight.

Why does Europe resist GM foods when scientists say they are safe?

Scientists everywhere in the world acknowledge that foods may be toxic, provoke allergies or create environmental problems, be they GM or non- GM. On the human-health front, the U.S. approach is to allow marketing without prior testing of GM foods that are deemed to be "substantially equivalent" to the non-GM variety. Many scientists question whether this is a sufficient basis for regulatory approval. In Europe, we do more thorough testing on every GM variety. Our objective is to rebuild consumer confidence, which has been badly shaken by food scares in recent years.

Why do Europeans dislike GM foods?

Like Americans, Europeans have preferences concerning food which may relate to nutrition, to taste, to the conditions in which food was produced, to the political regime in the country of origin, to the organic nature of the food and so on. Some Europeans dislike GM. So do some Americans. We believe that citizens should be free to choose.

Is Europe's stance on GM foods payback for other American policies?

This is not about the U.S.A. This is simply what Europe wants to do in Europe's own interest. Consumers will be willing to buy GM foods if and when they are convinced that these products are safe for human health and for the environment--and if they see a benefit in the products. Public authorities need adequate regulatory systems, and companies selling biotech products need to show what's in it for the consumers, be it in terms of quality or price of the products concerned.