Workshop B4: GMOs and Protected areas

Nature protection areas have a special status of protection both within the in the European Union and in national and regional legislation.The cultivation of GMOs on their areas and their vincinity may be restricted und controlled by the authorities in charge of their protection. However, the relation between EU wide risk assessment and regional measures of conservation are controversial and still need to be established. In the EU of 15 roughly 7,5% of the terrestrial area are protected sites and another 12,5 % are classified as sites of Community importance.

Josef Hoppichler, Federal Institute for Less-Favoured and Mountainous Areas - Austria

Laurent Luettge, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Protection - Germany

Josef Hoppichler: GMO-free areas: Legal, political and scientific issues in relation to nature protection

Laurent Luettge: GMOs and Protected Areas

Josef Hoppichler: Concepts of GMO-free environmentally sensitive areas

Commission desicion of 2 September 2003 relating to national provisions on banning the use of genetically modified organisms in the region of Upper Austria notified by the Republic of Austria

Rechtliche Aspekte beim Schutz ökologisch sensibler Gebiete [only in German]

Gentechnikfreie Regionen –Sinn, Optionenund Perspektiven [only in German]

Communication from the Commission on the precautionary principle
European Commission, 2000

Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora

Council Directive 97/11/EC of 3 March 1997 amending DIRECTIVE 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment

Act on the regulation of precautionary measures for genetic engineering (Carinthian Genetic Engineering Precautionary Measures Act - Austrian designation: K-GtVG) and amending the Carinthian Agriculture Act (Revised draft)

Notification according to Article 95(5) of the EC Treaty Request for authorisation to introduce national provisions incompatible with a Community Harmonisation Measure
The European Commission, Official Journal of the European Union, May 03

Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms on a question from the Commission related to the Austrian notification of national legislation governing GMOs under Article 95(5) of the Treaty1
Scientific Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms, The EFSA Journal, July 03

Maize & Biodiversity. the Effects of Tansgenic Maize in Mexico
North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation