``NFPA views the WTO negotiations as an important opportunity for global agri-food trade, to improve market access for food products by reducing both tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade. It also will provide a critical forum to address emerging issues and new technologies, and define trade disciplines critical to today's international marketplace. The U.S. leads the world in agri-food exports, exporting one-third of what is produced. Processed foods, or value-added products, now account for more than 40 percent of U.S. agricultural exports. Still, tariffs on processed foods are among the highest and non-tariff barriers in many nations continue to disrupt trade.

``A key component of the WTO Agreements is the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement). The SPS Agreement requires regulatory measures to be applied only to the extent necessary to protect health and be based on scientific principles. Measures are not to be maintained without sufficient scientific evidence including risk assessment. The EU has indicated some interest in renegotiating the SPS Agreement to provide for a 'Precautionary Principle' that can be used to block trade when uncertainty exists. NFPA believes that risk assessment already takes precaution into account. NFPA supports international food policy based on science. An undefined 'Precautionary Principle' likely would be used to prohibit import of products for cultural or societal reasons (as in the case of EU blocking U.S. beef treated with hormones). The U.S. will not support the EU's position.

``NFPA also welcomes a WTO dialogue to consider trade disciplines on transparent and timely policies to guide the advancement of new technologies. NFPA believes that decisions made through this forum will dictate the future of emerging food production, processing and packaging technologies, which will serve a critical role in food safety policy and world food security.

``NFPA has worked to influence U.S. positions for the Round through membership in the Agriculture Policy Advisory Committee for Trade (APAC) and AgTrade, formerly known as the Seattle Round Agriculture Committee (SRAC). NFPA also works with an Ad Hoc Coalition for Processed Food Products and has maintained a proactive dialogue with key U.S. negotiators providing information to support a science base for technical and regulatory issues decisions.''

NFPA is the voice of the $460 billion food processing industry on scientific and public policy issues involving food safety, nutrition, technical and regulatory matters and consumer affairs.