2006-06-09 | permalink
On June 19th the European Food Safety Authority, the European Commissionand national experts from all member states will be meeting to discuss three GMO applications for cultivation: Syngenta's Bt11,Pioneers 1507 and BASF's high starch potato. While some approvals have been granted for food and feed no GMO has been approved within the EU for cultivation since 1998. The meeting, which will also impact the next Council of Environmental ministers on June 27th aims to come to a consensus on the future direction on this highly controversial issue. Environmental groups urge the Commission and member states to re-think their approach to risk assessment and take a precautionary approach.</p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/2006/hidden_uncertainties.pdf"> FOE: Hidden uncertainties</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/Greenpeace EFSA_demands June 2006.pdf">Greenpeace: Demands to EFSA risk assessment</a></p><p><a href="http://www.saveourseeds.org/downloads/FOE_1507_critique_2006.pdf">FOE: Analysis of Pioneers GM maize 1507 risk assessment</a>
2006-06-07 | permalink
Hans Kast, chairman of EuropaBio and CEO of BASF, said European countries which did not want approved GM goods "should get out of the EU and say we want to be on our own."When asked, in an interview for eupolitix.com, about the aspiration for a GM-free Wales, he said, "I have not heard that the people of Wales want to be GM free. Would Wales be allowed to say we don't want to have cars?"</p><p><a href="http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0300business/0100news/tm_objectid=17170433&method=full&siteid=50082&headline=biotech-boss-slams-gm-free-wales-name_page.html">icWales: - Biotech boss slams GM-free Wales</a></p><p><a href="http://www.eupolitix.com/EN/Interviews/200605/27eeedea-65a3-4b79-b57d-83467c4ff13d.htm">Europolitics.com: Interview with Hans Kast</a>
2006-06-01 | permalink
<a href="http://www.efsa.eu.int/opportunities/recruitment/1508_en.html">EFSA: Call for expressions of interest for a position within EFSA - Senior Scientific Officer for the Unit on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO Unit)</a>
2006-05-31 | permalink
The scientific panel on GMOs of the European Food Safety authority is about to be re-appointed. The 21 scientists from 13 countries have been frequently accused of rubber stamping GMO approvals and neglecting critical science. "EFSA is now installing a new set of scientists and this time, public health and environmental safety must be put before the interests of big business," demanded Friends of the Earth.</p><p><a href="http://www.foeeurope.org/press/2006/AB_30_May_EFSA.htm">FoE: Friends of the Earth demands sacking of industry scientists inEFSA shake up</a>
2006-05-26 | permalink
For the first time an EU member states region has adopted precautionary legal provisions on co-existence, which require the prevention of any GM contamination in neighboring fields at a level of 0,1%. This flies in the face of the EU Commissions position that co-existence measures should be no stricter than ensuring prevention of 0,9% contamination. The co-existence provisions, which under Austrian law are being set at the regional level, also require mandatory regional approval of GM planting and provide for special measures against impairment of protected areas.</p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/fileadmin/files/styria_gmo_law_2006_en.pdf">Styrian GMO law (English translation)</a></p><p><a href="http://www.gmo-free-regions.org/fileadmin/files/austria_steiermark_gesetz_2006.pdf">Steiermärkisches Gentechnik-Vorsorgegesetz, 2006 (German original)</a>
