25.04.2003 |

Commission held "round table" on co-existence

While environmental, organic and small farmers organisations protested outside against what they called an "unbalanced and missed opportunity", EU Commissioners Fischer (Agriculture) and Busquin (Research) opened a so called round table on coexistence between GMO and non-GMO agriculture with special emphasis on gene flow in maize and oilseed rape. Fischler said "co-existence means no form of agriculture, GMO and non-GMO should be excluded" and announced guidelines before summer. Busquin called for a waive of the present moratorium on GMO commercialisation in the EU. Scientists and industry representatives presented to a selected group of 150 stakeholders their views and present state of knowledge and listened to some critical comments and questions. They concluded that "practical experience" with large scale releases of GMOs was now needed. (Full report to follow)<a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/ fischler_speech_24_04_03.pdf">Fischlers speech</a></p><p><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/ busquin_speech_24_04_03.pdf">Busquins speech French only</a></p><p><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/ gp_foe_cpe_ifoam_pe_24_04_03.pdf">Joint press release of environment and farmers organisations</a></p><p><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/ graefe_pe_24_04_03.pdf">Press release of green members of national and EU Parliament</a></p><p><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/uba_24_04_03.pdf">Positionspapier des Umweltbundesamtes zur Koexistenz</a></p><p><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/uba_eng_24_04_03.pdf">Positionspapier des Umweltbundesamtes zur Koexistenz</a>english version<a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/ graefe_pe_de_24_04_03.pdf">Presseerklärung nationaler und europäischer Parlamente</a></p><p><a href="http://www.zs-l.de/gmo/downloads/ abl_pe_24_04_03.pdf">Presseerklärung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bäuerliche Landwirtschaft</a></p><p><a href="http://www.forbes.com/markets/commodities/newswire/2003/04/24/rtr950220.html">Reuters: EU to draft GMO crop mix guidelines in next months</a></p><p><a href="http://binas.unido.org/binas/show.php3?id=497&type=html&table=news_sources&dir=news">BINAS/OECD update: Co-Existence Meeting Highlights Divergent Views</a>