New Caledonia
Updates + Overviews
New Caledonia
Although the French territory of New Caledonia has a special status and a certain degree of autonomy in many areas, including agriculture, this legal status also brings with it a grey area on the issue of GMOs in New Caledonia, where French-European law did not apply, and New Caledonia itself had nothing covering this topic.
In February 2014, the government of New Caledonia implemented two regulations:
- The first prohibits the import of genetically modified cereal and fruit seeds. Although STOP GMO Pacific welcomes this important step, the association nevertheless regrets that the text does not take into account vegetable seeds. However, the text allows New Caledonia to guard against two prevalent GM crops in the region originating specifically from Hawaii: corn and papaya.
- The second text imposes the labeling of any food product containing more than 0.9% GMO ingredients. This text haven't yet been implemented.
Despite these first steps, since February 2014, the regulation has not evolved: no GMO labeling, no ban of GMOs for animal feed and above all no strong policy position of New Caledonia to forbid to commit to this type of technology (or give the consumer the opportunity to choose consume or not transgenic products). STOP OGM Pacifique wrote an open letter and a petition for a regulation of GMOs in New Caledonia www.stopogmpacifique.org/open-letter/
More generally about European OCTsArticle published in Inf'OGM
The association STOPOGM Pacifique questions the implementation of regulations on GMO crops, seeds, and other food matter in OCTs (Overseas Countries and Territories). The General Director of International Development and Cooperation (DG DEVCO) who is in charge of European – OCT relations at the European Commission, has invited the association to question State Members since: “the OCTs are associated, but not necessarily a part of the European Union (EU) (part IV of the treaty on the functioning of the EU), and by consequence, the legislation of the EU, including the legislation on GMOs, are not automatically applicable.”
The OCTs are dependent on four European Union Members: Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. But, they are not necessarily European territories even if the people can claim European citizenship. Their status, and relations with the EU are defined case by case. Also, their autonomy on matters of regulations and their degree of sovereignty can be quite varied. Insularity and isolation are particularly common in these territories spread out all over the world. About 50% of the OCT commercial trade is done with the states with whom they are connected to, while supplementation of foods or agricultural inputs is heavily dependent on the closest regional powers: the United States and Canada for St. Pierre and Miquelon, Australia and New Zealand for New Caledonia, the Americas for the Caribbean Islands, etc.
full article:
http://www.stopogmpacifique.org/2015/10/04/hidden-gmos-in-overseas-countries-and-territories/
--------------------------------------
Pacific Island Countries
The Pacific is composed of many islands, the majority of which are independent states. Most of these areas are heavily dependent on food imports, mainly from Australia, Asia and the U.S., where GM crops are already well established, and more worryingly - massive importation of seeds.
Cook Islands, Kiribati, Micronesia, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu ... all these island states have participated in a project funded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for the development of National Biosafety Frameworks (NBFs), and ratified the Cartagena Protocol.
But currently, none of the Pacific Island Countries (except Tonga) have regulations for Living Modified Organisms (LMOs).
The disruption from climate disasters creates openings for industrial seed that may be GM or hybrid, prohibited or useless to save for replanting. Seed corporations, research institutes and humanitarian aid programs skirt the issues by using promotional terms to sell their “improved”, “biofortified” or “climate adapted” seeds. They do not exercise appropriate institutional caution or accept responsibility, as in the case of the discredited “Global Alliance for Climate Smart Agriculture” that provides false solutions...
GM papaya, which has been developped in Hawaii has been spread in all Pacific region. More information about the GM papaya case: http://www.stopogmpacifique.org/2016/04/24/transgenic-papaya-around-the-worl/
There is also a biopiracy case linked with GMOs with the GM banana asutralian project which used the pacific Fe'i banana genes:
http://www.stopogmpacifique.org/2015/03/04/why-is-bill-gates-backing-gmo-red-banana-biopiracy/
Current Pacific campaign
Open letter to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research and aid agencies
http://www.stopogmpacifique.org/2016/04/17/open-letter-pacific-gmo-and-climate/
(Updated in May 2016 Information provided by STOP OGM Pacifique)
Organisations and institutions active on GMO
STOP OGM Pacifique
http://www.stopogmpacifique.org/
