South American Agriculture Ministers Urge EU & China to Stop Delaying GMO Import Authorizations

Agriculture Ministers from five countries in South America have urged the European Union (EU) and China to stop delaying GMO import authorizations. The Agriculture Ministers of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay participated in the XXXIV Regular Meeting of the Southern Agricultural Council (CAS) in San Pablo, Brazil on August 29, 2017.

In a joint statement signed on August 29, the ministers criticized the asynchronous 'barrier to international trade which should be minimized' and 'has a negative impact on agricultural production systems'. During the ministerial dialogue, three statements were signed: WTO Negotiation, Joint actions for the control and prevention of Avian influenza, and New technologies for improving and accessing GM products to third markets.

The third declaration, which is the joint statement, referred to new technologies for the improvement and access of genetically modified products (GMs) to third markets and stated the need for countries in the region to work together to intensify information exchange in the approval of GM products. It also seeks to reduce the asynchrony in the approval of these agencies in the region, and on the other hand will try to promote the approval in third markets of events of regional interest.

The five ministers are: Juan Carlos Baruja, Minister of Agriculture of Paraguay, chair pro tempore of the Council; Blairo Maggi, Minister of Livestock and Supply in Brazil; Carlos Furche, Minister of Agriculture of Chile; Tabaré Aguerre, Minister of Livestock Agriculture and Fisheries of Uruguay; and Ricardo Negri Secretary of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries of Argentina.

Read the joint statement here. Other details are available at the Consejo Agropecuario Del Sur (in Spanish).