THE WTO panel appointed to decide on a trade dispute over GM foods has called in scientists to debate the safety of GM foods and crops.

This means that the outcome of the case, brought by the US, Canada and Argentina over Europe‘s GM moratorium, will be considerably delayed.

Friends of the Earth has described the WTO panel‘s decision as “a blow to the Bush administration which fought to stop any debate over scientific safety”.

While the US has mainly argued its case according to trade principles, the EU has questioned whether the WTO is the appropriate place to settle such disputes and has been pushing for scientists to be involved in the debate.

In a previous case over the use of beef hormones the scientific debate lasted for over 600 days.

In May this year campaigners delivered a petition to the WTO signed by more than 100,000 citizens from 90 countries and more than 544 organisations representing 48 million people.

The signatories, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and French small farmers‘ leader Jose Bové, have called on the WTO not to undermine the sovereign right of any country to protect its citizens and the environment from GM foods and crops.

Adrian Bebb of Friends of the Earth Europe said: “The first round of this dispute may have gone to Europe but the long term implications of this case could be devastating for everyone.”

“The WTO is a secretive and undemocratic organisation and should not be deciding what we eat. The long-term effects of GM foods and crops are unknown.

“Every country should have the right to put public safety before the economic might of the biotechnology industry,” Mr Bebb said.