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The EU temporarily banned imports of U.S. maize feed and grains unless there is proof they are free of an illegal genetically modified organism. A test has been provided by Syngenta and GeneScan and approved by the EU</p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/en/frame.php?page=../dossier/syngenta_bt10">SOS Dossier on bt10 - constantly updated</a></p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/437&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">EU Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.syngenta.com/en/media/article.aspx?pr=041505&Lang=en">Syngenta Press Release: Syngenta supports EU in targeted certification program for two animal feed maize products</a>

The EU Commission has published a list of 26 genetically modified products which have been legally on the EU market since before the new legislative framework for authorising GM food and feed had entered into effect. These so-called 'existing products' were either approved under former EU legislation, or did not require approval at the time that they were put on the market</p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/439&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN">EU Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/05/130&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN">EU Commission: Questions & answers on GMO 'existing products' register</a></p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/comm/food/food/biotechnology/authorisation/register_notification/index.htm">EU Commission: the register notifications</a>

The Committee of Professional Agricultural Organisations in the European Union (COPA) today unanimously elected Rudolf Schwarzböck new Presidentfor the period 2005 - 2007. Schwarzböck has been the President of the Austrian Chambers of Agriculture, which expressed a distinctly critical position on GMO over the past years</p><p><a href="http://www.copa-cogeca.be/en/pressreleases.asp">COPA Press release in various languages: Rudolf Schwarzböck elected President</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/landwirtschafts_praesidenten_at_07_04.pdf">Letter of Austrian Chamber of Ag on GMO and Seed thresholds to the EU Commission (german olny)</a>

The Italian Constitutional court confirmed the laws in Marche and Puglia, which declare these Regions GMO free</p><p><a href="http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200504122141-1351-RT1-CRO-0-NF11&page=0&id=agionline-eng.oggitalia">AGI: Go ahead for gmo free produce</a>

On March 31st 2005, the Province of Lodskie, in central southern Poland,declared itself a GMO Free Zone.Lodze has a population of 2.5 million and covers an area of 18,220 km2. Thecapitol city is Lodz</p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/countries/poland/poland.html">overview Poland</a>

At a meeting with the Spanish ministry for agriculture Spanish NGOs and agricultural organisations achieved a re-openig of the discussion about GM co-existence and the withdrawal of the ministry's initial proposal: "The document below was written by a large coalition of Spanish organizations. It describes minimum demands because it was very important to have a huge representation of the civil society. And... it worked! We managed to get the compromise from the minister of agriculture to stop the approval of the very bad Decree on coexistence that would have legalized general genetic contamination of all crops. In a meeting on 30. March the minister told us that the decree needs more time, that they will see how they can incorporate our demands and that there will be dialog with us in the next month for a new draft."<a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/spain/NGOS_on_coexistence_03_2005.pdf">Basic points to be included in the Spanish rules on coexistence between genetically modified, conventional and organic crops</a>

At least nine US states have either passed or introduced legislation that would preempt local cities and countries from restricting the sale of genetically modified seeds. I'm sure that it is organized by big industry players who are fearful that the California strategy (GMO-free initiatives) may spread,â__ said Joseph Mendelson of the Center for Food Safety</p><p><a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/biod/gmofreepreempt32905.cfm">US States Passing Laws to Block Local GMO-Free Ordinances</a>

"The existing European regulatory framework is far from exhaustive. There is absolutely no EU regulation designed at preventing the contamination of conventional crops by authorised GM seeds, the only way to protect both producers and consumers in all EU countries," the AER stated in a reaction to the Commissions anouncement to go ahead with GMO aprovals</p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/Downloads/aer-press-24-03-05.pdf">AER press release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.gmofree-conference.org/Index.htm">Conference: Saveguarding coexistence, gmo free zones and the promotion of quality food produce in europe</a>

For four years GMO giant Syngenta sold and used a Bt maize variety, which had never been approved. "All current plantings and seed stock have been identified and either destroyed or isolated for future destruction," the company announced and said the unapproved "Bt10" maize could have been exported to Canada, Argentina, Japan, South Africa, Uruguay, the European Union, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, the Philippines, China, Russia, and South Korea. Hull said Syngenta informed the U.S. government about the mix-up between the Bt10 and Bt11 varieties in "mid-December," but did not inform the public because "this is not a food safety issue whatsoever." EU official played down the significance of the problem</p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/dossier/syngenta_bt10.html">Saveourseeds Dossier on the Syngenta case (continously updated)</a></p><p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58449-2005Mar22.html">Washington Post: Syngenta Says It Sold Wrong Biotech Corn</a></p><p><a href="http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/050322/15/3rfnr.html">Dow Jones: USDA Investigates Sale Of Unapproved Corn Seed By Syngenta</a></p><p><a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050321/full/nature03570.html">Nature: US launches probe into sales of unapproved transgenic corn</a></p><p><a href="http://www.syngenta.com/en/media/article.aspx?pr=032205&Lang=en">Syngenta statement</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/AB_23_March_Syngenta.htm">Friends of the Earth Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/30065/story.htm">Reuters: EU Says Unapproved Syngenta GMO Maize Sets No Risk</a>

The new European Commission agreed today to:- push through new approvals of GM foods irrespective of the lack of consensus of EU member states- submit to the Environment Council proposals to force countries to lift their bans on GM products- go ahead with the approval of new GM crops also for cultivationNo agreement was reported on co-existence and seed purity issues</p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/355&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">Commission statement</a></p><p><a href="http://saveourseeds.org/downloads/COM_draft_GMO_23_03_05.pdf">Internal Commission orientation Paper</a></p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/05/104&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">Commission: Questions and Answers on the Regulation of GMOs in the European Union</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/AB_22_March_European_Commission.htm">Friends of the Earth PR: European Commission to ram GM foods through</a></p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/30030/story.htm">Reuters via PlanetArk: EU States Overruled on GMOs by Own Deadlock</a></p><p><a href="http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=18717">EU Observer: Commission set to push ahead with new GMOs</a>