After 5 years of bitter negotiations, delegates from 130
countries finally hammered out a global treaty that will govern
the trade of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The treaty
formalizes the process by which countries can refuse to accept
biotech products, an apparent blow to the biotech industry. Even
so, both proponents and critics of biotechnology came away from
the negotiating table at 5:00 a.m. in Montreal on 29 January
claiming victory. One reason for the unexpected compromise may
be that the wording of the new treaty is decidedly ambiguous.
For instance, the treaty allows countries to refuse to import
GMOs based on a "precautionary principle"--that is, even without
"sufficient scientific evidence" that the products could cause
environmental harm or threaten human health. Elsewhere, however,
the treaty stipulates that such rejections be based on
"credible" scientific evidence. The treaty focuses on living
modified organisms such as seeds and fish that can colonize an
ecosystem. It calls for the