Estonia
Updates + Overviews
Click on the map to enlarge it or dowload the kmz file to view it in Google Earth.
287 landowners have declared their land GMO-free.
Organisations and institutions active on GMO
GMO-free Estonia campaign (Estonian)
The Estonian Council of Environmental NGOs (EKO), the Estonian Farmers` Federation, the Fund of Organic Agriculture, the Centre for Ecological Technologies and Consumers´ Organisations from four cities have launched a campaign to establish GMO-free zones, helping farmers to express their determination to remain GMO-free.
The campaign for a GMO-free Estonia is collecting information about landowners who are aware of the risks connected to GMOs and do not want to grow them.
Anybody who wants to declare their land GMO-free can fill in the declaration.
ELIS, Estonian Nature Infosystem (Estonian)
Estonian Council of Environmental NGOs (EKO) (Estonian, English)
Presentations
Vienna, February 2005
Andres Õunmaa, Ministry of Agriculture, February 2005: Co-existence management in Estonia
Official and institutional links
Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for the handling and marketing permits of novel foods (incl. genetically modified food), for the issue of permits for use of seeds and plant propagating material, fertilizers, feedingstuffs and for the issue of permits for conducting animal experiments.
Ministry of Environment is responsible for deliberate release of genetically modified organisms into the environment and the issue of marketing permits of products composed of or containing genetically modified organisms.
Ministry of Social Affairs is responsible for the issue of permits for contained use of genetically modified microorganisms.
The committee of novel food (in the Ministry of Agriculture) performs risk analysis of the products derived from genetically modified organisms.
The committee of gene technology (in the Ministry of the Environment) counsels the government in the issues of gene technology:
- the deliberate release of GMO-s (including genetically modified novel food, genetically modified seeds, fertilizers and animal feedingstuffs) into the environment;
- the marketing of products composed of or containing GMO-s (including genetically modified novel food, genetically modified seeds, fertilizers and animal feedingstuffs),
- the issues related to conducting animal experiments with genetically modified animals, the issues of contained use of genetically modified microorganisms.
Legal documents
GMO regulation in Estonia, Hannes Veinla, Avosetta Meeting on GMOs, 2006
Petitions
GMO-free Regions and areas: Petition to the European Commission. Download in pdf-format doc-format
Other background information
Genetically modified crops and their associated risks, Estonian Fund for Nature, 2006 (Estonian)
Background paper on the situation in Estonia, submitted by Andres Õunmaa, 2005
Campaign "GMO-free Estonia" launched (GENET-News)
Estonians changed their mind about GMOs
Estonians have changed their mind on GM food and agriculture between 2001 and 2005 a survey of the Estonian Institute on Economics reveals. In 2001 53% said they might eat GM food and only 24% said certainly not, in 2005 only 24% said "maybe" but 46% "certainly not". Also a majority now believes that GMOs should not be grown in their country.
Excerpts of the poll in English
