News

Moratorium on Terminator Technology questioned as CBD meets

A global moratorium on genetically modified sterile seeds, dubbed as Terminator technology or Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTs), will not be officially lifted at the upcoming conference of parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). However, some countries managed to introduce language on "case by case" assessments of these technologies into recommendations of the preparatory working group, designed to erode the present ban on Terminator.

GENET: update on Terminator Technology and the CBD de facto moratorium

Canadian Press: Canada said to be undermining global ban on terminator seeds

Official Report of the Working Group in Granada

GeneWatch UK: Why Terminator Technology Won't Prevent GM Contamination

Ban Terminator Campaign

posted Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Greece bans GM maize against EU verdict

The Greek government has issued a renewed ban on maize seed varieties containing Monsanto's GM trait Mon 810. After the European Commission had ordered Greece to lift a ban on 17 varieties issued last year, the government issued a new ban now on 31 varieties, as 14 additional Mon810 maize varieties had been added to the Common Catalogue of seeds in December 2005.

Kathimerini: Greece firm on GM corn

Greenpeace applauds Greek ban on GMO corn

posted Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Hungary: Demonstration against GM crops

Hundreds of people protested against genetically modified (GM) crops in Hungary in a demonstration in front of Parliament and called for the government to keep all bans on GM crops in place. Party activists ha collected more than 12,000 signatures in an anti-GM crop petition over the past month, which were presented to House Speaker Katalin Szili, Farm Minister Jozsef Graf and Minister of the Prime Minister's Office Peter Kiss. The Hungarian Parliament is preparing to amend legislation on GM crop farming

MTI: Greens protesting GM crops

posted Monday, January 30, 2006

EU Commission Proposal for a Council Regulation on Organic Production and Labelling

In a joint letter, Friends of the Earth Europe, GeneWatch UK, GM Freeze UK, Greenpeace and IFOAM, urge the EU Commission to ensure that an EU wide coexistence legislation that protects conventional and organic farming is guaranteed.

Joint letter to the Commission

posted Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Renewed calls to ban Terminator Technology as CBD meets

Governments are gathering from 23-27 January for the fourth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Intersessional Working Group on Article 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Granda, Spain. One of the key items on the agenda is with regards to the potential socio-economic impacts of Genetic Use Restriction Technologies (GURTs) on indigenous and local communities.

Renewed calls to ban Terminator Technology as CBD meets

GeneWatch UK: Why Terminator Technology Won?t Prevent GM Contamination

Ban Terminator Campaign

posted Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Austria wants to ban EU approved GMO oilseed rape

The Austrian government has announced its intentio to impose a national ban on the import of genetically modified oilseed rape GT73, which has only recently been approved by the EU Commission against a majority of member states votes. Oilseed rape is especially problematic as imports of the small grains, intended for feed use only, cannot reliably be prevented from spillage and subsequent growing.

FOE: Austria bans Monsanto's GMO oilseed rape

Standard: Genraps - Österreich legt sich quer

Telepolis: Die ersten von morgen...

posted Monday, January 23, 2006

Germany: GM-companies refuse compensation

The new German govermnent would like to see GMOs planted in the country and is willing to replace present liability regulations, seen as a major obstacle with a compensation fund for GM contamination. GM companies however refuse to pay into such a fund.

Checkbiotech: GM crops in Germany stalled

posted Friday, January 20, 2006

3/4 of Swedish farmers reject GMOs

Swedish farmers remain solidly opposed to GMOs despite recent moves by major farm cooperatives to introduce GMO feed and GMO crops. In an opinion poll published 20 January in the farm journal ATL, 74 % of farmers say they will not consider growing GMOs, while 68 % say they will not use GMO feed.

ATL, Lantbrukets Affärstidning (Swedish)

Translation

posted Friday, January 20, 2006

France: Are GMOs against the constitution?

French deliberate reapers of GMO fields (faucheur volontaires) have been aquitted by two courts recently, who argued that the destruction of GMO fields was actually a "necessity". This necessity, according to the court, results from the "present danger of the uncontrolled spread of GMO genes, the dissemination of which had been authorized, contrary to the constitutional right to a healthy environment." This means that GMO releases are themselves unconstitutional, the fauchers argue in an article in Le Monde.

Le Monde, point de vue: Les OGM sont inconstitutionnels

English translation in Truthout

posted Thursday, January 19, 2006

EU authorises 3 new GMOs for import

The EU Commission has approved the import of 3 new GMOs for import. The decision was made after the Council of EU ministers did not reach a conclusion with qualified majority.

Forbes: EU authorises three GMO maize types for marketing in EU after Monsanto requests

FOE Europe: EU Commission caves in to biotech industry, Monsanto GM maize authorised

posted Friday, January 13, 2006

Protest against EU Commission in Athens

Greenpeace activists staged a protest against the EU Commissions decision to waive the Greek ban on 17 GM varieties of GM maize in front of the EU office in Athens.

Kathmerini: Greenpeace protest

posted Friday, January 13, 2006

Industry association publishes GMO planting figures for 2005

According to the industry sponsored "ISAAA" global planting of GMOs rose from 81 to 90 mio ha in 2005. 95 % of the crops are grown in 5 countries: USA (55 mio ha), Argentina (17,1), Brasil (9,4) Canada (5,8), China (3,3). Adding 3 more countries Paraguay (1,3), India (1,3), South Africa (0,5) results in 99% of all GM crops. The crops are still herbicide restistant and insecticidal. The growth rate of 11,4% is the lowest in the 10 year history of GMOs. in an analysis study Friends of the Earth pointed out that ISAAA has never published the sources of its estimates and that after 30 years of development still only two gm traits are planted at commercial scale.

Dow Jones: Biotech Farming Grew At Lowest Rate In 10 Years

Reuters: World biotech plantings expand but at slower rate

ISAAA homepage with press release and charts

FOE: Factsheet who benefits from gm crops?

IPS: Biotech "Revolution" May Be Losing Steam

posted Wednesday, January 11, 2006

EU Commission orders Greece to lift ban on GM seed varieties

The European Commission has ordered Greece to allow the sale and use of 17 maize varieties containing Monsantos Mon 810 bt gene, which kills insects. The Greek government had banned these varieties despite their inscription in the EU common seed catalogue, after there had been no qualified majority against this proposal in the EU Council of ministers.

E.U. orders Greece to lift ban on Monsanto corn seed - Biotechnology - Food & Beverages - Medical Products

posted Tuesday, January 10, 2006

GMO-contamination: a concept, not an accident

"Adventitious presence of GMO", which occurs with increased frequency around the world, is actually not an unfortunate accident, but part of a long term strategy, argues Peter Montague, editor of Rachels news.

Peter Montague: Inherit the Wind

posted Sunday, January 08, 2006

WTO ruling in US vs. EU GMO case delayed again

The long awaited verdict of the WTO dispute panel on the GMO import case of the USA against the European Union has been delayed once more. Diplomats do not expect the preliminary finding before February now. The panel of judges was set up in March 2004 with a ruling initially due within six months.

Reuters: WTO again delays ruling in row over EU GMO policy

posted Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Germany: New Ag-minister changes farm policy

The new Agriculture Minister Horst Seehofer plans to cut backing for ecological farming and pave the way for genetically modified crops.

Deutsche Welle: Discontent Simmers Over Change in German Farm Policy

posted Tuesday, January 03, 2006