Articles

Lower Austria has decided to join the network of GMO free regional governments, which will hold its next meeting in Rennes, November 29 and 30.</p><p><a href="http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung.php?schluessel=OTS_20051027_OTS0211">ots.at: Niederösterreich tritt Initiative für gentechnikfreie Regionen bei</a>

Today the Council of Agriculture ministers met in Luxembourg and once more they failed to agree. There was no qualified majority to authorise two modified maize lines MON863 and GA21 and no qualified majority to force the lifting of the Greek ban on GM maize cultivation.</p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/33144/story.htm">Reuters</a>

Estonians have changed their mind on GM food and agriculture between 2001 and 2005 a survey of the Estonian Institute on Economics reveals. In 2001 53% said they might eat GM food and only 24% said certainly not, in 2005 only 24% said "maybe" but 46% "certainly not". Also a majority now believes that GMOs should not be grown in their country.</p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/estonian_GM_poll_2001_2005.pdf">excerpts of the poll in English</a></p><p><a href="http://www.ki.ee/uudised/OSTUEELISTUSED_2005_-_MAHETOIT_presentatsioon.pdf">Original in Estonian</a>

Greenpeace today published some results which show that consumers and food producers in Poland and Russia have become strong opponents against genetically engineered food. In Poland, an opinion poll commissioned by Greenpeace shows that 76% of Polish consumers do not wish to eat food products that contain GE ingredients, such as GE soya and GE maize. The Russian Consumers Guide reveals more than 450 food companies in the country that have adopted a GE free policy.</p><p><a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/international/press/releases/rejection-of-ge-food-spreads-i">Greenpeace Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://en.rian.ru/society/20050518/40375624.html">RIA Novosti: Two-thirds of Russians unwilling to eat GM-Food</a></p><p><a href="http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=newsletter&topic_id=2&subtopic_id=10&doc_id=11472">Moscow Times via checkbiotech.org: Food producers assail Greenpeace blacklist</a></p><p><a href="http://cee.greenpeace.at/gpcee/pl/secure/k-tools/phplib/MedienDatenbankView.inc.php?id=1722">Opinion poll done by PBS in Poland [engl. figures at the end]</a>

After successful action days against GMOs in 2004 and 2005 international grassroots organisers with a focus in France are calling for the organisation of an International day of opposition to GMOs in spring 2006. A preparatory meeting will be held in Montreuil on October 20th.</p><p><a href="http://altercampagne.free.fr">Altercampagne homepage</a>

The EU council of agricultural ministers on Oct 25th will vote on a Commission proposal to overturn the ban of Mon810 GM maize varieties, which had been inscribed in the Unions Common seed catalogue. The ministers will also vote on the approval of Monsantos MON863 bt maize for import as food and feed. In both cases no qualified majority against the Commissions proposals are expected so far.</p><p><a href="http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100012_13/10/2005_61831">Kathimerini: GM corn could make the menu</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/en/frame.php?page=/dossier/17_seed_varieties_com_catalogue_en">SOS Dossier on GM seed variety approvals and bans</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/en/frame.php?page=/dossier/fact_sheet_mon_863">SOS fact sheet on Mon863</a>

At a Greenpeace press conference in Bucharest, Monsanto's former general manager in Romania warned that Romanian authorities have totally lost control over genetically modified organisms in the country. GM soybeans were grown on much larger areas than registered, but also unapproved GMOs such as potatoes and even plums were found.</p><p><a href="http://www.commondreams.org/news2005/1010-01.htm">Greenpeace: Genetically Engineered Organisms Out of Control in Romania</a>

Consumer, environmental and health organisations challenged the European Food Safety Authority to put public and environmental safety before commercial interests as the agency opens its first stakeholder dialogue at its new office in Parma, Italy.The organisations urge EFSA to make serious changes in its work and procedures, in particular regarding genetically modified crops and food. So far the central EU agency has rubber-stamped all GM crop approvals and dismissed concerns of NGOs, scientists and national safety authorities.</p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/joint_06_Oct_EFSA.htm">Joint Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.efsa.eu.int/stakeholder_stakeholder_consultative_platform/consultative_platform/catindex_en.html">EFSA: Stakeholder consultative platform</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/2005/EFSA_stakeholders_challenge.pdf">GP. FOE, Euro-Coop, EEB, EPHA: Detailed EFSA challenge</a>

The European Court of Justice today rejected a general GMO prohibition law of the Region of Upper Austria. Upper Austria wanted a total ban on cultivating genetically modified crops to protect conventional and organic crops, as well as wildlife, from potential contamination. In 2003 the EU Commission refused, arguing Austria had presented no new scientific evidence to support such a ban, and could not opt out of EU-wide rules of GMO risk assessment and approval. The Austrian complaint against the Commissions verdict has now been rejected by the Court. The government of the Region announced it would find other means to stay GMO free.</p><a href="http://curia.eu.int/jurisp/cgi-bin/gettext.pl?where=&lang=en&num=79948994T19040235&doc=T&ouvert=T&seance=ARRET">ECJ: Judgement Upper Austria vs. EU Commission</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/ECJ_Upper_austria_06_10_2005.pdf">SOS update on Upper Austrian case against the EU Commission</a><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/HH_05_Oct_ECJ.htm">Friends of the Earth: Commission urged to review EU law</a></p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/03/1194&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">Commission decision 2 September 2003</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/news/nachrichten/2005_10_05_archiv.html#112850513825464652">more details in German</a>

On the 9th of September 2005 the Assembly of Marshals of the Polish Provinces (*) accepted a statement concerning the planting of genetically modified plants (GMO) in Poland. "The Polish Government should prepare a motion to the European Commission to ban the import of genetically modified products in all areas of the country," the regional representatives conclude.</p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/countries/poland/poland.html">full story</a>