Trade in transgenic products: A review of the international debate

Transgenic products have a number of contradictory aspects. On the one hand, the genetic manipulation of plants makes it possible to develop both products which contain insecticidal toxins and can thus permit a reduction in the use of pesticides that may harm the environment, as well as foodstuffs with contents of vitamins and proteins that can improve the social indicators of the developing countries. On the other hand, however, questions have been raised about the possible effects of transgenic products on biosafety and biodiversity and the potential danger involved in consuming them, and the various actors participating in the debate on these products have widely different positions on their commercialization. The process of negotiation and subsequent approval of the Biosafety Protocol and the controversies over acceptance of the safety first principle or over the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) for restricting the production and commercialization of transgenics have shown up the great divergences that exist among governments.