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GENEVA, Jan 31(AFP): The World Trade Organisation has postponed a ruling on a US-led complaint against the European Union over genetically modified (GM) foods for several days, diplomats said yesterday.
A WTO panel that had been due to issue its decision Wednesday is now scheduled to do so on February 7, a trade official said.
The delay was "due to unforeseen circumstances," the official said, without elaborating.
It is not the first time that the WTO has held off issuing its preliminary decision in the GM battle.
It was originally supposed to make a ruling last year but later said its final report would be delayed in order to resolve numerous outstanding questions.
Officials have said the complex, technical GM spat is one of the biggest ever handled by the 149-nation WTO, which referees the rules of global commerce.
The United States, plus Argentina and Canada, brought the complaint before the international body in May 2003, stating that a European moratorium on imports of GM foods was more about business protectionism than concerns about the health of consumers or the environment.
The EU moratorium was lifted in May 2004, but the three countries did not withdraw their complaint because they claim EU member states continue to block GM imports.
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