The US and Canada are the world's largest producers of GM crops.

As European and Asian countries move towards requiring mandatory labelling of genetically modified (GM) food, the United States and Canada - the world's biggest grain exporters - are firmly resisting doing so.

"Consumer groups, the public in general, is very sensitive to the issue of GM foods - we've realised that over the last two years in Europe," says Patrick Deboyser, the head of food law and biotechnology at the European Commission, which is in favour of mandatory labelling.

That may be the case in Europe, but it is not to true in the US and Canada where the issue has barely dented the public consciousness.

Downplaying concerns

There have been fewer food scares, such as mad cow disease, in North America than in Europe and it seems that the public have more faith in their food producers.

There is so little knowledge of GM foods here that a leading Canadian supermarket chain says it cannot call a new range of fresh vegetables GM free because few consumers would know what the term means and it might even put them off.

The Loblaws Group says it will call their vegetables organic instead.

As the world's largest producers of genetically modified crops, the US and Canada have a vested interest in downplaying the concerns about genetic engineering raised by environmental groups.

The two countries are already involved in bitter disputes with the European Union over the banning of some GM products and North American meat reared with hormones.

With the two sides so polarised, it seems unlikely there will be much room for agreement at this meeting.

But the dispute is likely to resurface at the World Trade Organisation, where the US could bring a complaint against the EU over the issue.