International trade restrictions in the field of genetically modified organisms

Omejevanje mednarodne trgovine je možno na več različnih načinov, predvsem ob spoštovanju določb GATT in SPS. Omejevalni ukrep lahko kot prvo temelji na določbah večstranskega sporazuma, kateremu na področju GSO ustreza le ohlapen Kartagenski protokol, kot drugo na podlagi mednarodnih standardov, ki za to področje niso vzpostavljeni, kot tretje na podlagi presoje tveganja podkrepljene z znanstvenimi dokazi, s katerimi do sedaj še nihče ni uspel dokazati nevarnosti GSO. Priljubljeno previdnostno načelo Evropske unije kljub prizadevanjem v mednarodnem okolju ne najde prostora zase, države pa se na medsebojnih pogajanjih zaradi prevelikih razlik v razumevanju koncepta GSO ter posledično notranjih pravil odobritve in označevanja ne uspejo poenotiti. V mednarodnem prostoru tako že lep čas vlada status quo na področju GSO, vsaka država pa oblikuje svoja notranja pravila. Praksa DSB ravno zato odpira vrata nacionalni zakonodaji z ekstrateritorialnimi učinki, ki bi lahko nadomestila manko mednarodnopravne regulacije.Restriction of international trade is possible in a few different ways with GATT and SPS Agreement taken into account. Restrictive measures can thus be based first on multilateral agreement, among which the loose Protocol of Cartagena would be the only one in GMO field, second on international standards which are not established in this field, or third based on scientifically justified risk assessment for which sufficient evidence of actual risk was yet not obtained. Popular precautionary principle despite efforts from European union cannot find its way into international legal sphere while countries cannot find common ground due to excessive differences in understanding of the GMO concept and subsequently national rules on authorization and labeling. International environment has long been governed by status quo in this field, whereas countries each create their own rules on GMO. Due to this fact the DSB practice opens the door to national legislation with extraterritorial effects, which could substitute the lack of international regulation