Publication: The Independent
Date: Wednesday, August 15, 2001

London - The US and Europe are heading for a damaging dispute over European Union (EU) plans to label imported food that has been contaminated by genetically modified crops.

A leaked memo shows the US is furious at EU plans to insist that all food containing more than 1 percent genetically modified ingredients be labelled.

The memo shows that Washington, under pressure from crop growers, is considering challenging the EU plans under world trade law and wants Britain to make the US case in the EU.

If they go through, the rules mean that conventional crops that become contaminated by neighbouring genetically modified crops will have to be labelled.

A leaked record of discussions at the highest level of the Bush administration shows that the proposals are causing concern in President George W Bush`s inner circle.

The document records discussions involving Dylan Glenn, the special assistant to the president for economic policy, and the White House. It shows that Patricia Hewitt, the UK minister of trade and industry, encountered US opposition to the plans.

The leaked document records a conversation between Alan Larson, the US undersecretary of state for economic, business and agricultural affairs, and Hewitt in late July.

The memo shows that Hewitt said Britain favoured giving consumers the right to choose whether to buy modified crops through clear labelling. She told the US that consumers had concerns over modified food.

Environmental groups seized on the memo, saying that it showed Britain was being put under pressured by the US to water down the EU proposals.

``This leak shows how much pressure the US is now putting on the British government to back its move to force genetically modified products into the European market,`` said Carol Kearney of Friends of the Earth.

``Bush obviously hopes that Britain will play its usual role as a Trojan horse for US interests inside the EU.``