Introduction to the Special Issue on Biotechnology in International Economic Law and Human Rights: Reconciling Biotechnology with Human Rights and the Protection of the Environment under International Law

Abstract

Biotechnology produces a broad range of biotech products, the most discussed of which are genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Biotech products are more resistant to pesticides and more resilient to global warming than traditional crops. These and other capacities of GMOs enhance their potential to address climate change and to reduce world hunger. Furthermore, the cultivation and commercialisation of biotech products may enhance national economies of importer and exporter states. Accordingly, international trade concerning biotechnology is arguably a means of increasing global economic growth.However, there is a high degree of scientific uncertainty regarding whether biotechnology may create serious, and sometimes irreversible, risks to human health and the environment. On the one hand, biotechnology can compromise biosafety. Lack of certain evidence on the impacts posed by biotechnology to biosafety can incentivise a precautionary approach towards the international trade of potentially harmful products. On the other hand, under international economic law, governments cannot impose unjustified limitations to the protection of trade. Hence, how to balance those incompatible international legal requirements on states?Furthermore, the nature of the modifications to genetically modified crops (and other forms of agrobiotechnology) allows for the applicability of patenting law, which enables the legal "enclosure" of the crops' genetic make-up. This gives rise to contrasting ethical and moral views on the patentability of (vegetable and animals) lives that, in turn, are raising thorny discussions on the essential content of the "Ordre Public and morality clauses" in the field of biotechnology patents.

Research on Legal Supervision System for Economic Based on Big Data

“…And with the development of the economic platform, its fields will become more and more extensive, and the fields involved will become richer and richer, resulting in many subdivisions and types [5]. Therefore, the premise of studying the legal regime of economic platform regulation is to make a new definition of its definition and the scope it covers, and to analyze the shortcomings of existing theories on this basis [6]. It is necessary to clearly and reasonably distribute the responsibilities, rights and obligations between regulators, economic platforms and consumers, which is essential for existing model to establish the path and method of legal regulation in the supervision of the economic platform market.…”