Amidst global rise in the price of rice, the European Commission has adopted an emergency measure following reports that Chinese rice imports were allegedly tainted with an illegally genetically modified strain, reports PTI.

The measure, which comes into effect , requires consignments of rice products from China to be accompanied by an analytical report to demonstrate that the product does not contain the strain identified as ‘Bt63’.

European Union member states will also be required to take appropriate measures, including random sampling and analysis, for products already on the market. The Bt63 experimental variety of rice, which allegedly produces an insecticide, has not been approved for human consumption.

There are fears it could cause an allergic reaction. Britain’s Food Standards Agency (F.S.A) issued an alert to food manufacturers and trading standards departments, saying any contaminated rice products must be withdrawn from sale immediately. In 2005, a Greenpeace investigation found that research institutes and seed companies in China had been illegally selling unapproved G.M. rice seeds to farmers.

Further testing indicated that the whole food chain had been contaminated, most recently affecting Heinz baby food in China. China reportedly punished seed companies and destroyed illegally-grown G.M. crops after the scandal. But new contaminations were found in the E.U. last autumn, finally prompting the emergency E.C. decision effective from.

In September 2006, an investigation found two contaminated foods on sale in Asian speciality stores in London. The F.S.A said that the unauthorised G.M. material should be considered ‘unsafe’ but it was not, at the moment, aware of any specific health implications for consumers who consumed rice products containing ‘Bt63’.

Local authorities here have been requested to identify the food/feed business operators in their local area who may trade in potentially affected products. Another report from Geneva adds: China yesterday sought to persuade the World Trade Organisation to let it keep higher tariffs on industrial goods in any global trade deal, sparking fierce opposition from developed countries, reports AFP.

China, which joined the WTO in 2001, wants to be able to charge tariffs above the 23 percent level proposed for developing countries, citing its status as a “recently acceded member,” trade officials attending talks here said. Beijing is also seeking a 3-5 year grace period to implement tariff cuts rather than the 2 years currently proposed. Only Taiwan supports the Chinese move, officials said—a rare show of unity between Beijing and Taipei.

The European Union rejected the bid outright, with ambassador Eckart Guth denouncing it as “absolutely unacceptable” while the EU’s trade deficit with China “increases by the hour,” the officials said. Seven years after China joined the WTO, “there should be no talk about recently acceeded members,” Guth added. His comments were echoed by US ambassador Peter Allgeier.

“This proposal is totally unacceptable and incompatible with what is expected from one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Doha Round,” Allgeier said. The Doha round of multilateral talks to reduce trade barriers, held under WTO auspices, was launched in the Qatari capital in November 2001 but has foundered ever since, principally in disputes between developed and developing countries.

Developing nations are pressing for greater access for their agricultural products to industrialised markets. In return developed countries want a better deal for their industrial exports in the developing world.

With time running out before the US presidential elections in November, a ministerial meeting could be on the cards at the end of May in a bid to unblock the key dossiers of agriculture and industrial goods, trade sources said.

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