Why Does Biotech Regulation Differ So Much Between The US And EU?

Abstract

When it comes to agricultural biotechnology, public policies in the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) have been radically different. In the US, products of agricultural biotechnology have been extensively tested and marketed. In the EU, few biotechnology products have received regulatory approval while most have faced a de-facto moratorium. The tough regulatory stance of the EU towards agricultural biotechnology has typically been justified on the basis of public skepticism towards the technology and heightened concerns about food safety in the wake of the mad cow disease outbreak and other recent food scares.