Mercosur for sale? The EU's FTAA and the need to oppose it by Claudia Torrelli | 17 Aug 2003 http://www.corporateeurope.org/eumercosur/MercosurForSale.html http://www.corporateeurope.org/eumercosur/MercosurForSale.html
One global patent system? WIPO's Substantive Patent Law Treaty by GRAIN | 4 Aug 2003 For three years, a new international patent treaty has been under negotiation at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva. This Substantive Patent Law Treaty (SPLT) would remove most of the remaining national flexibility in patent systems and pave the way for a future world patent granted directly by WIPO. This is an appealing prospect for transnational corporations and large powers like the US and the EU, who see patents as as the primary means to control a globalised economy. But a world patent system is bad news for developing countries and their citizens, who would lose even the limited freedom left by the WTO's TRIPS Agreement to adjust patent systems to national development goals. However, it is not too late for the developing world to say no thanks and stop the negotiating process. For three years, a new international patent treaty has been under negotiation at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in Geneva. This Substantive Patent Law Treaty (SPLT) would remove most of the remaining national flexibility in patent systems and pave the way for a future world patent granted directly by WIPO. This is an appealing prospect for transnational corporations and large powers like the US and the EU, who see patents as as the primary means to control a globalised economy. But a world patent system is bad news for developing countries and their citizens, who would lose even the limited freedom left by the WTO's TRIPS Agreement to adjust patent systems to national development goals. However, it is not too late for the developing world to say no thanks and stop the negotiating process.
Futile Harvest: An evaluation of India's first commercial Bt cotton crop by Suman Sahai and Shakeelur Rahman, GeneCampaign | 1 Aug 2003
Blinded by the gene by GRAIN | 28 Jul 2003 Seedling - July 2003 Earlier this year, the scientific community celebrated the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure and function of DNA by Watson and Crick. There was a host of parties, conferences and special issues. Fifty years ago when the ‘secret of life’ was unveiled, expectations were high that this milestone discovery had given us the key to understanding the laws of heredity …. and the power to change them. Fifty years later, many believe we have now reached that point. Scientists are now able to move genes – and the inherited traits they code for – with apparent ease between species, families and kingdoms. Earlier this year, the scientific community celebrated the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the structure and function of DNA by Watson and Crick. There was a host of parties, conferences and special issues. Fifty years ago when the ‘secret of life’ was unveiled, expectations were high that this milestone discovery had given us the key to understanding the laws of heredity …. and the power to change them. Fifty years later, many believe we have now reached that point. Scientists are now able to move genes – and the inherited traits they code for – with apparent ease between species, families and kingdoms.
Unravelling the DNA myth by Barry Commoner | 26 Jul 2003 Seedling - July 2003 There is a crucial problem in molecular genetics and in its applications to agriculture, medicine and the production of pharmaceutical drugs. This science is based on a 50-year old theory that says DNA alone governs inheritance. Molecular genetics is now confronted with a growing disjunction between this widely accepted premise and an array of discordant experimental results that contradict it. But this disparity remains largely unacknowledged and experiments with transgenic plants and animals (many of which are not even recognised to be experiments) continue on a massive scale. There is a crucial problem in molecular genetics and in its applications to agriculture, medicine and the production of pharmaceutical drugs. This science is based on a 50-year old theory that says DNA alone governs inheritance. Molecular genetics is now confronted with a growing disjunction between this widely accepted premise and an array of discordant experimental results that contradict it. But this disparity remains largely unacknowledged and experiments with transgenic plants and animals (many of which are not even recognised to be experiments) continue on a massive scale.
Agronomics and Sustainability of Transgenic Cotton in Argentina by Martin Qaim, Eugenio J. Cap, and Alain de Janvry | 25 Jul 2003 AgBioForum, Vol. 6, No. 1&2 AgBioForum, Vol. 6, No. 1&2