Hungary

National: Since September 2006 Hungary has banned the cultivation of Monsanto’s maize MON 810.

Regional: Since 2005, there have been two GMO-free regions in Hungary: Southern Transdanubia and Western Transdanubia. Five counties are also GMO-Free: Fejér, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Hajdú Bihar and more recently Bacs-Kiskun, one of the biggest grain producing county in Hungary.

Local: 76 municipalities engaged either to declaring their territory a GMO-free zone, or to following a GMO-free policy in their services, or to enhancing and supporting GMO-free agriculture with all the possible ways: Tápiógyöngye (5331 ha), Perenye, Bakonygyirót, Újudvar (17ha), Nemessándorháza (1115 ha), Olasz (600 ha), Balatonmáriafürdõ (270 ha), Balatonszemes, Bicske (83 000 ha), Nick (1140 ha), Nagytilaj, Gönyû, Bosta, Szenta (6446 ha), Magyarszentmiklós, Somogytúr, Zalaszentgyörgy (980 ha), Mihályi (16,29 km2), Magyarlukafa (1373 ha), Vének, Kelebia (protected area), Várpalota, Balatonboglár, Mezõhék (8982 ha), Hódmezõvásárhely (48 141 ha), Bakonyszentlászló, Fenyõfõ, Sormás, Marcali, Petõháza. The Galga-menti small region, composed of 18 municipalities has also declared GMO-free.

30.01.2009: Hungary to defy European Commission call to scrap ban on GMO crops
Hungary will keep its ban on GMO (genetically modified organisms) maize imports and the planting of GMO seeds, Agriculture Ministry undersecretary Zoltan Gogos announced.
The European Commission recently called on Hungary to entirely lift its GMO ban. Last week the EU's executive arm backed proposals that would grant standard ten-year licences for the two GMO maize types. Hungary, one of the region's biggest grain producers, became the first country in eastern Europe to ban GMO crops and foods in 2005, when it outlawed the planting of MON 810 maize seeds, which are marketed by the US biotech company Monsanto.  Hungary Around the Clock, Hungary: Hungary to defy European Commission call to scrap ban on GMO crops