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For the first time an EU member states region has adopted precautionary legal provisions on co-existence, which require the prevention of any GM contamination in neighboring fields at a level of 0,1%. This flies in the face of the EU Commissions position that co-existence measures should be no stricter than ensuring prevention of 0,9% contamination. The co-existence provisions, which under Austrian law are being set at the regional level, also require mandatory regional approval of GM planting and provide for special measures against impairment of protected areas.</p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/fileadmin/files/styria_gmo_law_2006_en.pdf">Styrian GMO law (English translation)</a></p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/fileadmin/files/austria_steiermark_gesetz_2006.pdf">Steiermärkisches Gentechnik-Vorsorgegesetz, 2006 (German original)</a>

<p>"The environment minister who gives in and allows GMOs into this country will never be minister again," Nikos Lappas, head of Greece's largest farmers' union, told the International Herald Tribune.</p><p><a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/23/news/gmo.php">IHT: In EU, front lines in food war</a></p>

BASF annonced it will not go ahead with its controversialGMO potato experiment in the Irish County of Meath this year, and may cancel it altogether, according to GMO free Ireland.The obligations to reduce therisk of cross-contamination and to pay the costs of an independentmonitoring of health and environmental impacts were inacceptable BASF complained.</p><p><a href="http://www.gmfreeireland.org/press/GMFI26.pdf">GMfree Ireland: BASF admits defeat of GMO potato experiment</a>

The EU Council on Agriculture and Fisheries will discuss within the next days the controversy on seed threshholds, sustainability and the labelling of organic products.</p><p><a href="http://www.eupolitix.com/EN/News/200605/e55ecae4-d5b2-4f32-a04f-3f488438be81.htm">Europolitix.com: Organic food and GM crops top EU agriculture bill</a></p><p><a href="http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/agricult/89630.pdf">EU Council: Background Agriculture and Fisheries Council 22 May 2006</a></p><p><a href="http://www.consilium.europa.eu/cms3_applications/Applications/newsRoom/loadbook.asp?BID=1000&LANG=1&cmsId=364">EU Council: List of preparatory papers</a>

While the Financial Express in India claims that WTO plays god over transgenics right at the moment when India is busy finalising its labeling norms on GMOs, the American Soygrowers Association considers the EU traceability and labeling review a whitewash</p><p><a href="http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=127073">The Financial Express India</a></p><p><a href="http://www.soygrowers.com/newsroom/r051006b.htm">ASA (American Soygrowers Association)</a>

Scientific experts from European Union member states yesterday met with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to discuss ways to strengthen scientific co-operation in the risk assessment of GMOs.The meeting was set up to address concerns of member states about certain aspects of the risk assessment process for genetically modified organisms.The two primary issues raised by the member states were the desire to be more involved in EFSAs assessment approach, as well as a request for feedback on how their comments are taken into account.</p><p><a href="http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=67719-efsagmos-risk-assessment">Nutraingredients USA</a>

Our agriculture doesn't need GMO, said CIA (Italian farmers association) president Giuseppe Politi, reasserting the association's position on this issue, speaking in Rome at the convention on GMO "Grano o grane: Ogm alla prova di Governo". Politi said that CIA's commitment "is to focus on cornerstones such as quality, differentiated supply, tradition, food security, respect of public health norms, information, traceability, rules, safeguard of biodiversity and environment, technique innovation and a more rational use of chemistry and research.</p><p><a href="http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200605101806-1207-RT1-CRO-0-NF51&page=0&id=agionline-eng.arab">AGI online</a>

On 27 April 2006, the Polish Seym (lower house) passed an Act about changes in the Seed Production Act and the Plant Protection Act. The Act had already been passed by the Senate (upper house). The Act still has to be signed by the President. It will not become Law until this is done - and he will be under a lot of pressure from the biotech corporations not to sign! We therefore URGENTLY request you to send letters concerning this issue to the Polish President. The Polish Seeds Act, if signed, will set a precident for the whole of Europe and greatly increase pressure for an EU law giving rights to both regions and countries to ban GMO's.</p><p><a href="http://icppc.pl/pl/gmo/index.php?id=208#list">ICPPC: Further background and draft letter to the Polish President</a>

Meath Co. Council unanimously passed two motions on Monday 8 May, that are widely expected to force the world's largest chemicals company BASF to abandon a controversial experiment with patented GMO potatoes. The Council's first motion declares Meath a GMO-free zone. This makes Meath the sixth county on the island to prohibit GMO seeds and crops. The Council's second motion calls on the EPA to not allow the experimental growing of any GMO seeds or crops in Ireland.</p><p><a href="http://www.gmfreeireland.org/press/GMFI25.pdf">GM-free Ireland: Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.gmfreeireland.org/news/index.php">Irish Labour Party joins GM-free Ireland campaign</a>

The World Trade Organization (WTO) confirmed in a final ruling that the European Union broke trade rules with its six-year moratorium on approving genetically-modified (GMO) foods, diplomats said.</p><p><a href="http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyID=2006-05-11T065018Z_01_L10105775_RTRIDST_0_SCIENCE-TRADE-WTO-GMOS-DC.XML">Reuters</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2006/AB_11_May_WTO.htm">Friends of the Earth: U.S. did not win transatlantic GM trade dispute</a></p><p><a href="http://euobserver.com/9/21578">EUObserver: WTO ruling against EU unlikely to have any effect</a><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/news_WTO_Reporter_120506.pdf">WTO Panel Issues Final Ruling in U.S. Case Against EU's Restrictions on GMO Approvals</a><p><a href="http://www.checkbiotech.org/root/index.cfm?fuseaction=newsletter&topic_id=6&subtopic_id=33&doc_id=12766">Herald Tribune: EU to hold firm on modified seeds despite WTO</a>