Editing Monsanto (section)

===European Union===
In January 2011, [[WikiLeaks]] documents suggested that US diplomats in Europe responded to a request for help from the Spanish government. One report stated, "In addition, the cables show US diplomats working directly for GM companies such as Monsanto. 'In response to recent urgent requests by [Spanish rural affairs ministry] state secretary Josep Puxeu and Monsanto, post requests renewed US government support of Spain's science-based agricultural biotechnology position through high-level US government intervention.'"<ref name="07Paris4723" /><ref name="cbc.ca">{{cite news |title=U.S. targeted EU on GM foods: WikiLeaks |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/u-s-targeted-eu-on-gm-foods-wikileaks-1.1010690 |date=March 9, 2011 |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]]}}</ref> The leaked documents showed that in 2009, when the Spanish government's policy approving [[MON810]] was under pressure from EU interests, Monsanto's Director for Biotechnology for Spain and Portugal requested that the US government support Spain on the matter.<ref name="07Paris4723">{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/03/wikileaks-us-eu-gm-crops |title=WikiLeaks: US targets EU over GM crops |work=[[The Guardian]] |author=Vidal, John |date=January 3, 2011 |location=London, UK}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |work=EUobserver |title=Spain a key ally of pro-GMO America, cables reveal |url=http://euobserver.com/news/31544 |date=December 20, 2010}}</ref> The leaks indicated that Spain and the US had worked closely together to "persuade the EU not to strengthen biotechnology laws".<ref name="07Paris4723" /><ref name="cbc.ca"/> Spain was viewed as a key GMO supporter and a leading indicator of support across the continent.<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Presses Europe to Worship Genetically Modified Foods |author=Estabrook, Barry |website=[[The Atlantic]] |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2011/01/us-presses-europe-to-worship-genetically-modified-foods/69633/|date=January 17, 2011}}</ref><ref name="El Pais">{{cite web |title=EE UU: "España nos pide que presionemos a Bruselas a favor de los transgénicos" |work=El Pais |url=http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=es&to=en&a=http://elpais.com/diario/2010/12/19/espana/1292713201_850215.html |date=December 19, 2010}}</ref> The leaks also revealed that in response to an attempt by France to ban MON810 in late 2007, then-US ambassador to France, [[Craig Roberts Stapleton]], asked Washington to "calibrate a targeted retaliation list that [would cause] some pain across the EU", targeting countries that did not support the use of GM crops.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/03/wikileaks-us-eu-gm-crops |title=WikiLeaks: US targets EU over GM crops |work=The Guardian |author=Vidal, John |date=January 3, 2011 |location=London, UK}}</ref> This activity transpired after the US, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico and New Zealand had brought an action against Europe via the World Trade Organization with respect to the EU's banning of GMOs; in 2006, the [[WTO]] had ruled against the EU.<ref name="El Pais" /><ref>[http://www.euractiv.com/en/trade/eu-gmo-ban-illegal-wto-rules/article-155197 Euractive.com EU GMO ban was illegal, WTO rules] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907170429/http://www.euractiv.com/en/trade/eu-gmo-ban-illegal-wto-rules/article-155197 |date=September 7, 2008 }}, euractiv.com (updated May 23, 2007)</ref><ref>[http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/dispu_e/cases_e/1pagesum_e/ds291sum_e.pdf EC – Approval and Marketing of Biotech Products (Disputes DS291, 292, 293)], World Trade Organisation.</ref>

Monsanto was a member of [[EuropaBio]], the leading biotechnology trade group in Europe. One of EuropaBio's initiatives is "Transforming Europe's position on GM food". It found "an urgent need to reshape the terms of the debate about GM in Europe".<ref name="guardian.co.uk">[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/interactive/2011/oct/20/transforming-europe-gm-food Transforming Europe's position on GM food – ambassadors programme executive summary] ''The Guardian'', October 20, 2011</ref> EuropaBio proposed the recruitment of high-profile "ambassadors" to lobby EU officials.<ref name="guardian.co.uk"/><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/oct/20/europabio-gm-ambassadors-europe?intcmp=239 Biotech group bids to recruit high-profile GM 'ambassadors'] John Vidal and Hanna Gersmann, ''[[The Guardian]]'', October 20, 2011</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/environment/interactive/2011/oct/20/gm-food Draft letter from EuropaBio to potential GM ambassadors] (Draft letter from EuropaBio to potential GM ambassadors seeking their involvement in the outreach programme), ''The Guardian'', October 20, 2011</ref>

In September 2017 Monsanto lobbyists were banned from the European parliament after the Monsanto refused to attend a parliamentary hearing into allegations of regulatory interference.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/28/monsanto-banned-from-european-parliament|title=Monsanto banned from European parliament|first=Arthur|last=Neslen|date=September 28, 2017|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>