Should genetically modified organisms (GMO) be used for food and feed production and released into the environment? This is a highly controversial issue in Europe and elsewhere. A majority of consumers and farmers in Europe do not want GMOs in their food and on their fields for different reasons, which range from health and environmental to political and ethical concerns. Over the past five years member states of the European Union have imposed a "de facto" moratorium on any new approvals for the commercialisation of GMOs. No GMOs are commercially grown within the Union, with the exception of Spain, where a GM maize variety, approved before the moratorium, is planted on some 20.000 hectares.

This may change in the future as a new EU Directive on the release of GMOs into the environment and regulations for labelling and traceability of GMO have been adopted by the European Council and Parliament. However, all parties agree that the possible introduction of GMO in agriculture must not force citizens to eat or use such GMOs. Strict labelling legislation will enable consumers to make an informed choice. But the same is not true for farmers, unless they will be able to buy and use seeds, which are not genetically modified. As a practical measure for food and feed labelling of GMOs a threshold has been established at 0,9 percent (for each ingredient), below which the adventitious presence or contamination with traces of GMOs need not be labelled.

Now the European Commission proposes to introduce similar labelling thresholds at 0,3%, 0,5% and 0,7% for different crops with respect to the purity of seeds in a specific Seed-Directive. However, unlike chocolate or vegetable oil, seeds can reproduce and multiply and their offspring can fertilise other plants. Thus, if the seeds they use could contain substantial numbers of GMOs (e.g. every 200th maize plant on all maize fields in Europe), farmers could no longer guarantee that they do not use GMOs. The proposed levels of contamination could even cause their yield to exceed the labelling threshold for food and feed. Farmers and food producers would have to test all their products for the presence of GMOs in order to comply with the labelling regulations. This would cause massive problems, costs and risks all along the food production chain. Also it would be virtually impossible to recall a GMO variety once it has been approved. If such a recall became necessary for health or environmental reasons, all seeds, which could contain these GMOs would have to be recalled. Should GMOs be planted commercially in Europe this would add to the seed contamination and make the so called co-existence between GM and non-GM farming and food production even more difficult.

Therefor the supporters of the "Save our Seed" petition demand strict purity laws for non-GM seeds, irrespective of whether they deem the introduction of GMOs desirable or not. Non-GM seeds should stay free of GMOs also to maintain the integrity of humankinds oldest heritage, which has been developed and passed on from generation to generation for more than 8000 years.

The SOS-Petition was launched in April 2002, when the first draft for a GM Seed-Directive was presented by the European Commission. In October 2002 more than 80.000 signatures and a long list of supporting organisations were handed over to the European Commissioners Franz Fischler and David Byrne. At this event Commissioner Fischler promised to take a close look at the implications of the Seed Directive and the whole issue of co-existence between GM and non-GM farming. Commissioner Byrne, who is in charge of the Seed-Directive, put the proposal on ice in order to await the Parliaments and Councils decision on GM labelling thresholds for food and feed in order to adapt the proposed seed contamination levels to the allowable maximum of food and feed contamination levels. When this decision was finally taken in July 2003 he announced to re-introduce the Seed-Directive proposal more or less unchanged. The SOS Initiative is now beeing relaunched and urges the representatives of EU member states to reject such a proposal, when it will be re-tabled by the Commission.

At present over 100.000 individuals and 300 organisations with a combined membership of more than 25 million European citizens support the "Save our Seed" petition and their number is growing every day. The initiative is co-ordinated by the Foundation on Future Farming in Berlin, Germany, a charity which specialises in supporting the development of organic seed development and breeding. The initiative is focussed exclusively on the single purpose of establishing strict seed purity within the European Union. This web-site keeps supporters of "Save our Seeds" informed about the further developments and provides a common tool to exchange information. "Save our Seeds" does not represent the views of supporting organisations beyond the common goals stated in the SOS petition. The Foundation on Future farming is responsible for the content of this site and and its accuracy. It aims to provide all relevant information relating to the issue. Any contributions as well as moral, political and financial support are highly appreciated.