Globalisation and transboundary risk regulation: pesticides and genetically modified crops

Globalisation of food production systems and accompanying pressures for tra de liberalisation are raising new issues for risk regulation and also placi ng greater demands on risk regulatory systems. Transboundary food-related r isks are categorised here as 'traded' risks, subdivided into those which ar e product-bused and those which are production system based. The internatio nal systems for regulating the risks of pesticide residues in food and of G M crops are summarised and examples are given of how the risks are monitore d and evaluated. For GM craps and pesticides, although in different proport ions, concerns focus on risks inherent in food products themselves and in t he food production systems of which they form components. Different public motivations (self-interest versus fundamental values) underlie the expressi ons of concern and different approaches are needed for resolution and publi c reassurance in each case. We propose an approach which assigns legitimate and clearly specified roles to the two approaches, product based and produ ction system based, which would elevate the debate about GM crops to a high er systemic level where it may have a greater chance of being resolved.