Canada Requests Formal Negotiations With Mexico On GMO Ban

Canada has requested formal consultations with Mexico over the Latin American country’s restrictions on genetically modified agricultural imports under a free trade agreement that also includes the United States, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing sources close to the matter.

Ottawa’s request came Tuesday, according to Bloomberg, a day after Washington requested formal trade consultations over its objections to Mexico’s plans to limit imports of genetically modified corn and other agricultural biotech products.

“Canada will always work with the United States and Mexico to strengthen our business relationship and grow a clean and green agricultural sector.”, a spokeswoman for Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng said in a statement.

The trilateral trade agreement (TMEC) “you have the ability to make technical inquiries to better understand how our policies will be implemented under this agreementthe spokesperson added, without explicitly confirming the report.

Mexico plans to regulate genetically modified corn for human consumption, which US officials say puts about $5 billion in corn exports to its southern neighbor at risk and could impede biotech innovation.

However, Canada is not a major exporter of corn and Ottawa is generally concerned about Mexico imposing arbitrary bans on biotech-produced agriculture, Bloomberg reported.

He is also concerned about the Mexican government’s lack of respect for TMEC, according to the report. A spokeswoman for the Latin American country’s economy ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report.

Mexico claims that GM seeds can contaminate the country’s ancient native varieties and has questioned their impact on human health.

US officials have criticized the Mexican plans because they say they are not based on science and warn that any restrictions on GM corn could escalate into an outright trade dispute under a regional treaty.

Source: Reuters