Political Discussion and Events
Upcoming events
14th-15th December, India
The Non-GMO Crops in India conference will provide a major platform for interaction between the European retail industry and the Indian soya magnets as well as various leaders in the Indian government and world renowned academics. The event will debate the necessary steps to make an impact on biosafety and food security policies in India and consequently in much of the emerging countries. The conference's stellar lineup of speakers, all experts in their fields and focusing on biosafety assessment, GM technology and food security include:
- Dinesh Shahra, Managing Director, Ruchi Soya Industries, India
- Girish Matlani, Managing Director, Sonic Biochem Extractions, India
- Dr Pushpa Mittra Bhargava, Founding Director, Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), India
- Dr Jack Heinemann, Professor of Genetics and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
- Dr Terje Traavik, Scientific Director, GenØk-Centre for Biosafety, Professor of Gene Ecology, School of Medicine, University of Tromso, Norway
- Dr John Fagan, President, EOS Institute, UK
- Dr Michael Hansen, Senior Staff Scientist, Consumers Union, USA
- Dr Walter Alberto Pengue, Professor of Urban Ecology, The Institute of Metropolitan Area Studies, National University of General Sarmiento (UNGS), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Dr Vandana Siva, Councillor, World Future Council, India
- Dr Shambu Prasad, Associate Professor, Xavier Institute of Management, India
Over 200 speakers and delegates from suppliers, manufactures, retailers, government representatives and the scientific community worldwide will come together to exchange experience and interact with highly-placed political and media personalities to catalyse appropriate change in global biosafety and agricultural policies.
More info on the website of the conference: 
www.nongmocropsindia.com
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Past Events
Demonstration against GMO in Catalonia for Democracy, health and Good Food in support of the Catalan people's legislative initiative for GMO free Catalonia
28th June 2009 at noon
Catalonia is the second region in Europa producing GMOs. In a big participative process, more than 105000 Catalan citizens signed for a GMO ban in Catalonia. Now, the leaders of the main Catalan parties want to abort this process. On July 1st the debate will take place in the Catalan Parliament. www.somloquesembrem.org
7th Conference of the Network of GMO-Free Regional Governments
17-19 June 2009 - Urbino, Italy
Co-Extra International Conference: GM and Non-GM Supply Chains
3-5 June 2009 - Paris, France
Som Lo Que Sembrem organitza unes Jornades Científiques internacionals sobre els OGM
el 6 i 7 de març, Barcelona, Spain
Les Jornades comptaràn amb ponencies de cièntifics de renom internacional, que aportaràn arguments cièntifics sobre els riscos que comporten els cultius de tràngenics per la salut i el medi àmbient.
Journée Luxembourg et Grande Région sans OGM
Dimanche, 22 mars 2009, Abbaye de Neumünster, Luxembourg-Ville
Stands d’information des organisations de l’Initiative, conférences et projections de films sur les OGM, exposition sur les risques des OGM pour la santé humaine, l’environnement et l’agriculture, Animations éducatives pour enfants
Terra Madre 2008
October 23 to 27 2008, Torino, Italy
the third edition of the biennial international meeting of the Terra Madre Network will bring together food communities, cooks, academics and youth delegates for four days to work towards increasing small-scale, traditional, and sustainable food production.
2nd International Non-GMO Soy Summit 2008
7-9 October 2008, Brussels, Belgium
The event will provide an interactive platform for industry members where they will work together to develop new strategies and alliances to meet the growing demand for non-GMO soy and derivatives
VIth Conference of the European GMO-free Network
Bilbao, 24-25th April 2008
Non gm feedstuff, quality productions and European regional agricultures’ strategy"
5-6 December 2007, Brussels, Committee of the Regions
GMCC III
3rd International Conference on Coexistence between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM based Agricultural Supply Chaines, Sevilla, 20-21 November 2007
Organised by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre 20th and 21st November 2007 in Seville (Spain)
"Freedom of Choice"-Conference, Vienna 4-6 April 2006
An EU sponsored event to discuss co-existence of GM- and GM free agriculture in Europe.
"GMO-free Balkan"
GMO-free Balkan - food safety, biodiversity, sustainable agriculture Balkan Conference, Thessaloniki 25. – 27.11.2005
Bologna Conference on 'Co-existence', contamination and GM-free zones: Jeopardising consumer choice?
organised by Consumers International and Regione Emilia-Romagna, Sep. 2005 Conference documents on 'co-existence' and GMO contamination
Biotechnology For Europe Study, stakeholder presentation, Brussels, 20. April 2007
The European Commission has organised a Symposium on 20 April 2007 in Brussels to present main findings of the study and discuss them in the context of a revised EU Strategy on Life Sciences and Biotechnology. Participation was by invitation only. "Bio4EU" website
Drafts of Study
5th Conference of the GMO-Free Regional Governments of Europe, Torino 17-18 May 2007
The 40 GMO-Free Regional Governments of Europe will meet in Torino, Italy, to discuss their further strategy and sign a joint statement with the "Commission on the Future of Food". GMO-Free-Regions-Network
3rd European Seed Seminar "Liberating diversity", Halle, Germany 19-20 May 2007
A European seminar particularly addressed to farmers, breeders, small scale seed companies, conservation associations and seed initiatives who are involved in saving GMO-free seed diversity, use and conservation of biodiversity and defending peasant rights of seeds. The preliminary programme is available in English French German
EU Council of Ministers discuss EU Biotechnology Strategy May 21 / 22
The Council of EU Ministers on Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry and Research) will discuss and eventually adopt an opinion on the Commissions mid term review of the EU biotech-strategy.
Living knowledge conference, Paris, 30. Aug - 1 Sept 2007 Communities building Knowledge - Innovation through citizens science and university engagement - deadline for proposals of presentations and workshops: 30. Aprilhomepage
Key Documents
The first European GMO-free regions conference in January 2005 adopted a Berlin Manifesto "Our Land, our Future, our Europe".
At their meeting in Florence in February 2005 the network of GMO-free regional governments signed a Charter of the regions and local authorities of on the subject of coexistence of genetically modified crops with traditional and organic farming.
The Declaration of Rennes was endorsed by the members of the GM-free Network expressing their ambitions and demands for the future. Nov. 2005. Rough translations available in Française and Deutsch
At a conference of Friends of the Earth and the Assembly of European Regions in Brussels in May 2006 10 principles were agreed called "Safeguarding sustainable European agriculture: Coexistence, GMO-free zones and the promotion of quality food produce in Europe"
Official positions and documents
Second report from the Commission on the experience of Member States with GMOs placed on the market under Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms. {SEC(2007) 274} March 6 2007
Staff working document accompanying the report
Opinion on the EU Commissions communication on the implementation of national measures on the coexistence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming (Official Journal c 57, 2007/C 57/03, page 11 available in all languages)
adopted by the EU Committee of the Regions December 6th 2006 and prepared by Pietro Marrazzo, President of the Region of Lazio (Italy).
Communication of the Commission on the implementation of national measures on the coexistence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming
Published by the European Commission 09/03/2006
Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) - Resolution 1419
Adopted 24 Jan 2005 by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
in English or French
