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On March 31st 2005, the Province of Lodskie, in central southern Poland,declared itself a GMO Free Zone.Lodze has a population of 2.5 million and covers an area of 18,220 km2. Thecapitol city is Lodz</p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/countries/poland/poland.html">overview Poland</a>

At a meeting with the Spanish ministry for agriculture Spanish NGOs and agricultural organisations achieved a re-openig of the discussion about GM co-existence and the withdrawal of the ministry's initial proposal: "The document below was written by a large coalition of Spanish organizations. It describes minimum demands because it was very important to have a huge representation of the civil society. And... it worked! We managed to get the compromise from the minister of agriculture to stop the approval of the very bad Decree on coexistence that would have legalized general genetic contamination of all crops. In a meeting on 30. March the minister told us that the decree needs more time, that they will see how they can incorporate our demands and that there will be dialog with us in the next month for a new draft."<a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/spain/NGOS_on_coexistence_03_2005.pdf">Basic points to be included in the Spanish rules on coexistence between genetically modified, conventional and organic crops</a>

At least nine US states have either passed or introduced legislation that would preempt local cities and countries from restricting the sale of genetically modified seeds. I'm sure that it is organized by big industry players who are fearful that the California strategy (GMO-free initiatives) may spread,â__ said Joseph Mendelson of the Center for Food Safety</p><p><a href="http://www.organicconsumers.org/biod/gmofreepreempt32905.cfm">US States Passing Laws to Block Local GMO-Free Ordinances</a>

"The existing European regulatory framework is far from exhaustive. There is absolutely no EU regulation designed at preventing the contamination of conventional crops by authorised GM seeds, the only way to protect both producers and consumers in all EU countries," the AER stated in a reaction to the Commissions anouncement to go ahead with GMO aprovals</p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/Downloads/aer-press-24-03-05.pdf">AER press release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.gmofree-conference.org/Index.htm">Conference: Saveguarding coexistence, gmo free zones and the promotion of quality food produce in europe</a>

For four years GMO giant Syngenta sold and used a Bt maize variety, which had never been approved. "All current plantings and seed stock have been identified and either destroyed or isolated for future destruction," the company announced and said the unapproved "Bt10" maize could have been exported to Canada, Argentina, Japan, South Africa, Uruguay, the European Union, Switzerland, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, the Philippines, China, Russia, and South Korea. Hull said Syngenta informed the U.S. government about the mix-up between the Bt10 and Bt11 varieties in "mid-December," but did not inform the public because "this is not a food safety issue whatsoever." EU official played down the significance of the problem</p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/dossier/syngenta_bt10.html">Saveourseeds Dossier on the Syngenta case (continously updated)</a></p><p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A58449-2005Mar22.html">Washington Post: Syngenta Says It Sold Wrong Biotech Corn</a></p><p><a href="http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/050322/15/3rfnr.html">Dow Jones: USDA Investigates Sale Of Unapproved Corn Seed By Syngenta</a></p><p><a href="http://www.nature.com/news/2005/050321/full/nature03570.html">Nature: US launches probe into sales of unapproved transgenic corn</a></p><p><a href="http://www.syngenta.com/en/media/article.aspx?pr=032205&Lang=en">Syngenta statement</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/AB_23_March_Syngenta.htm">Friends of the Earth Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/30065/story.htm">Reuters: EU Says Unapproved Syngenta GMO Maize Sets No Risk</a>

The new European Commission agreed today to:- push through new approvals of GM foods irrespective of the lack of consensus of EU member states- submit to the Environment Council proposals to force countries to lift their bans on GM products- go ahead with the approval of new GM crops also for cultivationNo agreement was reported on co-existence and seed purity issues</p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/355&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">Commission statement</a></p><p><a href="http://saveourseeds.org/downloads/COM_draft_GMO_23_03_05.pdf">Internal Commission orientation Paper</a></p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/05/104&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en">Commission: Questions and Answers on the Regulation of GMOs in the European Union</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2005/AB_22_March_European_Commission.htm">Friends of the Earth PR: European Commission to ram GM foods through</a></p><p><a href="http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/30030/story.htm">Reuters via PlanetArk: EU States Overruled on GMOs by Own Deadlock</a></p><p><a href="http://www.euobserver.com/?sid=9&aid=18717">EU Observer: Commission set to push ahead with new GMOs</a>

Major European NGOs demanded a new GMO policy from the EU Commission, respecting the public opinion and needs of European farmers and regions. They especially criticised the Commissions co-existence approach. A legal opinion presented accuses the Commission of "advising Member States to adopt coexistence measures that are incompatible with the aims of present EU legislation"</p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/ngo_pr_coex_21_03_05.pdf">Press release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/Paul_Lasok_coex_legaladv_2_04.pdf">Legal advise, Paul Lasok</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/ngo_letter_coex_21_03_05.pdf">Greenpeace, FOE, Soil association et. al: Open letter to EU Commissioners</a>

Poland has officially decided to ban the release of the only remaining EU approved GM maize, Monsantos Mon810. It joins Hungary and Austria, who have already banned the variety</p><p><a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/03/22/business/gmo.html">Int. Herald Tribune: Poland bans biotech maize</a></p><p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7971810">Reuters: Poland to ban Monsanto GMO maize seed</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/GP_PRmon810Poland.pdf">Greenpeace Press Release</a>

Mazowieckie Province (with capitol Warsaw),with a population of over five million, has become the sixth Province in Poland whose local authorities have passed a resolution declaring themselves a GMO Free Zone.Similar decisions were made by the boards of Podkarpackie, Malopolska (Krakow), Podlaskie (Bialystok), Lubelskie (Lublin) and Kajawsko-Pomorskie (Torun). Further, strong declarations of intent against GMO's have been made by the main farmers organisation in Donaslaskie. Together with single communities in different parts of Poland, in total almost half the Polish population are now living in an area where local authorities have declared GMO Free Zones.Another four Provinces are currently taking steps in this direction</p><p><a href="http://icppc.pl/pl/gmo/eng_index.php">Source: ICPPC</a>

Estonian Council of Environmental NGOs (EKO), Estonian Farmers' Federation, Fund of Organic Agriculture, Center for Ecological Technologies, and Consumers' Organisations from four cities, are launching 10.03.2005 a campaign for establishment of GMO-free zones, which helps farmers to show, that they want to be GMO-free</p><p><a href="mailto:nastja@elfond.ee">For further information please contact Nastja Pertsjonok</a>