El Salvador: Agricultural Biotechnology Annual
Even though there is no legal impediment to use of biotechnology, and genetically engineered (GE) corn field trials have been successfully completed, El Salvador's Ministry of Environment has still not completed a regulatory framework for their safe use and commercialization after eight years. On April 30th 2008, El Salvador abolished Article 30 of the Planting Seed Law that required phytosanitary certificates for imported seeds to declare that they were free of GE organisms. El Salvador ratified the Cartagena Protocol in 2003. The Environment Law, effective since 1998 provides guidance on assessing the environmental impact of GE organisms. The current government administration has so far shown little interest in advancing biotechnology mainly due to ideological positions against it.
