On 2 Jun 2003 09:06:32 -0700, (Jerry) wrote:

Torsten Brinch wrote in message . ..
On 30 May 2003 11:47:04 -0700, (Jerry) wrote:

I hear and read that the European Union has safety concerns about
growing genetically modified crops and the food produced from them.

Then you must be American :-) In fact the European Union has approved
several genetically modified crops, and is having no particular safety
concerns in regards to that. You have been misinformed.

Yes, I am. No, I haven't. The E. U. has constantly asserted GM
safety concerns as the only reason for shutting U.S. grain out of
their import markets. Read the stories Marcus linked further down in
the thread.

Thought so. Yes you have. God help you if you can't come up with
something better for an argument than 'stories Marcus link'. My
argument still stands: In reality, the European Union has approved
several genetically modified crops, and is having no particular safety
concerns in regards to that. In contrast to this, you appear to be
have come to the opposite impression. Because of something you heard
and read. QED, you have been misinformed.

But I never hear details. So here is the question. What are the
SPECIFIC fears of the European Union in regard to genetically modified
crops?

The overshadowing specific concern of the European Union in regard to
GMOs, or 'fear', to use that word, is the potential for disruption of
the internal market by their presence on it. Hence the struggle is for
a common EU legal framework to regulate labelling, traceability and
product liability of GMOs.

I take that to mean that the EU wants complete government control
exercised over U.S. producers in the same manner that European
producers and controlled. But my perception is a bit biased. After
all, I am one of those free Americans.

Probably you just don't appreciate how important it is to the European
Union, that goods and produce can be traded freely across internal
borders within the EU, unimpeded by national legislation imposed
by individual Member States.