Spain

Updates + Overviews

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Four regions (Asturias, Basque Country, Balearic Islands and Canary Islands) have declared themselves GMO-free.
The provinces of Málaga, Álava and Vizcaya as well as the Autoridades Insulares of  Menorca, Mallorca and Cabildo Insular de Lanzarote
declared their territory GMO-free.
117 municipalities in 14 regions have declared themselves GMO-free.

In the Basque country 433 farms and 6 school allottments are declared GM-free.

List of Comunidades Autónomas declaradas libres de transgénicos (Castillan)

In 2008, more than 9 million Spaniards were living in GMO-free declared areas (out of a population of 44 million).

Actions and demonstrations

Madrid, Spain, September 29 - Spanish maize fled to the French Embassy in Madrid yesterday to seek asylum fearing contamination from genetically modified varieties. The majority of GM maize grown commercially within the EU is located in Spain. Because of the high risk of contamination, Spanish non-GM maize sought refuge at the French Embassy. France banned the only GM crop authorised for cultivation in the EU, Monsanto’s MON810, at the beginning of 2008
picture: FOE. More Info: www.foeeurope.org

On 2nd July 2009, a votacion took place in the Catalan Parliament on the possibility to declare Catalonia GMO-free. The proposal law was rejected.
Read more about the demonstration (Catalan)
Video of the Speech of Alexis Inglada at the Parliament. Alexis Inglada is a young catalan farmer also member of Som lo que Sembrem (speech in Catalan)

On 18th April 2009, more than 8000 people manifested against GMOs in Zaragoza, demanding to the Spanish governement a ban on GMO cultivation and food.

This demonstration was the culminating point of a week long of actions against GMOs. There were hundreds of actions, activities and protests all over Spain.

This demonstration was organized by Plataforma Rural (Amigos de la Tierra, CAS, CECU, CERAI, CIC BATA, CIFAES-URPF, COAG,C.Tierra de Campos, Ecologistas en Acción,EMAUS, Entrepueblos, Espacio Comercio Justo, Jóvenes Rurales Cristianos, Red Africa Europa, SODEPAZ, Veterinarios Sin Fronteras, Movimiento Rural Cristiano, Mundubat,, SEAE, SOC, Universidad Rural Paulo Freire, Xarxa de Consum Solidari) and Greenpeace.

 

Other background information

La poca vergonya de les institucions públiques: informes sobre els efectes socio-econòmics del cultiu de transgènics, Jose Ramón Olarieta, Som lo que Sembrem, 2011, Catalan
Más de 450 investigadores y representantes de la sociedad civil firman en contra de los transgénicos, 2008 (Castillano) (source article not updated)
Background information on the current state of GM agriculture in Spain and Catalonia, by Rosa Binimelis i Adell (ICTA)
State of GM Crops in Catalonia, by Plataforma Transgènics Fora! and Assemblea Pagesa de Catalunya

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