As EU Agricultural ministers today failed to approve Syngentas Bt 11 GM maize, but also did not reject it with a two third majority, the European Commission now has the legal power to approve the first GMO for food and feed since 1998. David Byrne vowed to do so but did not say when.</p><p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4941087">Reuters: EU Paves Way to End Five-Year Ban on New GM Foods</a>

EU Ministers on Monday will vote on the approval of a new GM maize (bt 11 of Syngenta), which would be the first approval since 1998 (for food use only not for cultivation however). No majority in favour is expected, yet EU rules will allow the EU Commission to still grant the approval unless a 2/3 majority of the member states rejects the proposal. Environment groups will protest outside the meeting in Luxembourg. "Le Monde" revealed minutes of the french biosafety committee showing that scientists are deeply concerned about the safety of a Monsanto maize. Rats fed with the product showed a "diversity of abnormalities". However, the EU scientific body just cleared it as being safe to eat.</p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/gp_23_04_04.pdf">Greenpeace Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2004/GR_23_april_bt11.htm">FoE Europe - Press Release</a></p><p><a href="http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3226,36-362062,0.html">Le Monde: L'évaluation scientifique des risques est opaque, les dossiers parfois incomplets</a></p><p><a href="http://www.lemonde.fr/web/article/0,1-0@2-3226,36-362061,0.html">Le Monde: L'expertise confidentielle sur un inquiétant maïs transgénique</a>

In addition to the long expected showdown on the approval of the first GMO approval within the EU since 1998, the Council of Environmental Ministers meeting on Monday 26th will also discuss GMO contamination of Seeds. The Danish delegation wrote: "In order to secure the basis for the new regulations, it is also important to establish clear rules for GMOs in seed. Studies carried out in Denmark on co-existence between genetically modified, conventional and organic crops have shown that the contents of GMOs in seed has considerable influence on the possibility of ensuring co-existence.Therefore the Danish delegation calls upon the Commission to put forward as soon as possible a new proposal with respect to labelling and the contents of GMOs in seed. In order to secure the best possible conditions for co-existence, Denmark finds that thresholds in any forthcoming proposal should be set at detection level (0.1%)."

In Brussels Friends of the Earth Europe`s GMO Coordinator Geert Ritsema said, "Local people, politicians and businesses are demanding the right to stay GM free. This is the beginning of an unstoppable movement that governments and European institutions would be stupid to ignore."<a href="http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0422-05.htm">IPS: Anti-GM Movement Spreads Across Europe</a></p><p><a href="http://www.oneworld.net/article/view/84438/1/">ENS: European Environmentalists Launch Grassroots Campaign Against GM Crops</a>

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and its Scientific Panel on genetically modified organisms (GMO) invites comments from interested parties on the draft guidance document prepared by the Scientific Panel.This document provides guidance for the risk assessment of genetically modified (GM) plants and/or derived food and feed submitted within the framework of Regulation (EC) No. 1829/2003 on genetically modified food and feed or Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms. Comments can be placed directly on their web-site until end of April.</p><p><a href="http://www.efsa.eu.int/consultation/372_en.html">E F S A European Food Safety Authority - draft guidance document</a>

In a joint letter to the EUs Environmental Commissioner Margot Wallström the European Environmental Bureau, Coordination Paysanne Europeen, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and the organic umbrella organisation IFOAM demand clean seeds for non-GE farming. Thresholds for "some GMOs" in conventional and organic seeds would jeopardise the environment and ge free agriculture, the organisations claim.</p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/EU_NGOS_letter_to_wallstroem_13_04_04.pdf">Joint letter to Margot Wallström and the EU Commission</a>

Bayer Cropscience is giving up attempts to commercialise GM maize - the only transgenic plant to have approval for widespread cultivation. The company announced its maize variety Chardon LL had been left 'economically non-viable' because of conditions Margaret Beckett, environment secretary, imposed when she gave it limited approval this month. This means GM crops are unlikely to be grown in the UK until 2008, when GM oil seed rape may be approved for cultivation.</p><p><a href="http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1079420034866">Financial Times: Beckett is blamed as Bayer bins GM plan</a></p><p><a href="http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?story=506810">The Independent: huge blow to the genetically modified food lobby</a></p><p><a href="http://www.bayercropscience.com/bayer/cropscience/cscms.nsf/id/E45810F2575BF434C1256E6700645943?Open&ccm=400150000&L=EN&markedcolor=%23003399">Bayer Crop Science press release</a>

In a letter to the European Commission the EUs farmer umbrella organisation Copa/Cogeca demands that labelling thresholds for GMO contamination of non-GM seeds should at least be kept as high as initially proposed by the European Commission (0,3 to 0,7%) and should even be extended to GM varieties, which have not yet been approved within the Community for planting.</p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/copa_cogeca_18_03_04.pdf">Copa/Cogeca letter (in french only)</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/sos_letter_copa_cogeca_29_03_04.pdf">A letter from Save our Seeds to the member organisations of Copa Cogeca (english)</a>

A list of arguments by Dr. Brian John in "The Ecologist."<a href="http://www.theecologist.org/article.html?article=453">The Ecologist - HOT TOPIC</a>

According to reliable sources in Brussels the Directorates General on Environment, Agriculture and Consumers have agreed to propose labelling thresholds between 0,3% and 0,5% for "adventitious" presence of GMOs in non-GM seeds and to basically re-introduce the Commissions proposal, which had been withdrawn under public and institutional pressure in October last year. The new draft for a Directive will be sent to Commissioners this week and could be officially submitted by mid April.