The World Assembly,
Acknowledging that regulation of trade of genetically modified organisms, which General Assembly Resolution #509 “GMO International Trade Accord” tried to address, is an important area of legislation most likely in need of attention from the World Assembly; but
Noting that unclear measures lead to unforeseen consequences which can do more harm than good;
Concerned by many issues, including:Concluding that such overlooked flaws completely undermine the effectiveness of the resolution as a whole; hereby
- The exclusion of genetic modifications obtained through hybridisation or selective breeding as a result of the limited definition of biotechnology, which pose comparable threats to the environment;
- The resolution’s failure to explicitly require member nations to enforce regulations created by the Committee for the Regulation of Modified Products, allowing for nations to easily dodge compliance of these provisions without penalty;
- The vagueness of the term ‘reasonable’ that is used so often in regard to safety measures throughout the resolution, especially in sections 3 and 4, as the use of this term allows an excessively ambiguous and free interpretation of what is the best effort possible in the matter of safety. The term reasonable is in fact inherently relative in its definition and this implies that nations can set up measures as they see fit to their contingent situation, without any kind of control, thus making it possible for them to hugely disregard security when profitable;
- The lack of regulations of intellectual property, thus granting undisciplined privileges to corporations and private institutions, like the possibility to stop outside research or create monopolies, which undermines the resolution's call for improving research and the exchange of information between member nations; and
- The presence, in section 4, of exemptions to unsterilized plants GMOs, since requirements like “in cases where the environmental benefit [...] clearly outweigh any downsides of their use” are loose enough to let member nations set their own policies without any way to ascertain the truthfulness of their reasons especially since there are no overseeing authorities; and
Repeals General Assembly Resolution #509 “GMO International Trade Accord”.
Co-authored by Honeydewistania
Thanks to Imperium Anglorum and Honeydewistania for the inputs, comments and edits
Link to target resolution: https://www.nationstates.net/page=WA_pa ... /council=1