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The European coordination of Friends of the Earth International Programme on
Genetically Modified Organisms (www.foei.org) is working on the following
topics:
– Eastern Europe
– WTO pressure on GMO legislation
– The Biosafety Protocol
– GMO Contamination
– Public Participation on GMOs (Aarhus Convention)
ACTIVITIES IN EASTERN EUROPE
Skillshare on GMOs for NGOs in South-East Europe
Friends of the Earth and ANPED hold a skillshare on GMOs for NGOs from
SouthEast Europe in December 2001 in Croatia. Green Action-Friends of the
Earth Croatia hosted the meeting and NGOs from Austria, Bulgaria, Germany,
Romania, Slovenia and Yugoslavia attended it. The seminar objective was to
build capacity of NGOs in the region on the GMO issue. Environmental groups
which participated at the skillshare attended a RoundTable on BioSafety
organised by the Croatian Environment Ministry in Zagreb December the 10th
and denounced the US bullying of the Croatian Government against its plans
to adopt a moratorium on GMOs.
See Press release
US Government threatens Croatian’s
GMO moratorium with WTO action
WTO PRESSURE ON GMO LEGISLATION
US Government threatens Croatian’s GMO moratorium with WTO action
In June 2001, four Croatian ministries agreed on the text of a draft law to
ban genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and products thereof until the
Government a more specific regulatory framework is in place. Since
September, Croatia has been under increasing US pressure to drop the draft
law. In a memo dated November 28 and addressed to the Ministry of
Environment from the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb the U.S. tries to put trade
before environmental protection stating “if such a ban is implemented, the
U.S. Government must consider its rights under WTO.”
Press release
US Government threatens Croatian’s
GMO moratorium with WTO action
To see leaked documents, Draft law and other information visit:
http://www.zelena-akcija.hr/ge/eng/pressrelease10122001.html
Click here to see the pictures of the action.
U.S and biotech corporations impose GMOs worlwide under WTO threats
Friends of the Earth International (FoEI) has denounced the U.S. and other
pro-biotech countries, like Argentina, for bullying small countries that try
to adopt laws prohibiting genetically modified organisms (GMOs). FoEI
presented leaked documents from the U.S. and Argentinean governments showing
threats to bring World Trade Organization (WTO) action against small
countries planning to adopt strict rules on GMOs. Countries like Sri Lanka
and Croatia that planned to adopt bans on GMOs have been facing overwhelming
pressure. Bolivia, which adopted a resolution banning GMOs in January 2001,
has been forced to revoke its legislation due to pressure from Argentina and
its agribiotech corporations.
See Press Release:
U.S. AND BIOTECH CORPORATIONS
IMPOSE GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS WORLDWIDE UNDER WTO THREATS
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US steps up the pressure on EU GMO legislation
US comments to the WTO on EU proposed Regulations, obtained by Friends of
the Earth (FoE) show the strong opposition the US is mounting to EU
legislation on GMOs. Over the past few months more than 6 countries
worldwide have faced overwhelming US pressure when trying to implement
strict GMO regulations.
See press release:
US STEPS UP THE
PRESSURE ON EU GMO LEGISLATION
BIOSAFETY PROTOCOL
The Biosafety Protocol aims to contribute to the ensuring an adequate level
of protection in the field of the safe transfer, handling and use of GMOs.
The Biosafety Protocol was adopted in January 2000. At present 107 countries
have signed the CPB, but in order to get it into force, 50 ratifications are
necessary. In February 2002 12 countries have done so, amongst them only
three European: The Netherlands, Spain and Norway.
FoE urges governments to sign and ratify the Biosafety Protocol as soon as
possible, in order to implement a minimal regulatory framework on
transboundary movements of GMOs worldwide.
To see update on signatures and ratification go to:
http://www.biodiv.org/biosafety/signinglist.asp
See press release on the Biosafety Protocol and the need for a liability
regime: LIABILITY
FOR GMO CONTAMINATION NEEDED NOW TO ENSURE BIOSAFETY
GMO CONTAMINATION AROUND THE WORLD
Contamination is the big problem that GMO releases into the environment
poses today. When an organism is released in the environment the
consequences are unpredictable and the impacts are not known. The fact that
once an organism is released into the environment it is very difficult to
call back has been ignored or downplayed. The problem of cross-pollination
and other forms of transmission of undesired traits to organisms not
targeted, and the problems of commingling have not been properly addressed
by regulatory regimes worldwide.
FoE has produced a booklet describing several cases of contamination of our
fields and the human food chain by a variety of GMOs not authorized or
unregulated under many regulatory frameworks in countries around the world.
In what concerns Europe it gives a description of several cases of
contamination occurred in France, Germany, Sweden and others. The booklet
contained a brief summary of different testing methods available to monitor
for the presence of GMOs.
ACTIVITIES ON ACCESS TO INFORMATION, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, AND ACCESS TO
JUSTICE ON GMOS
Friends of the Earth, as part as the Ecoforum umbrella NGO network is
involved in the discussions of the Working Group on GMOs under the Aarhus
Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation and Access to
Justice on GMOs. FoE advocates for legally binding provisions on public
participation on GMOs within the Aarhus Convention. At present those
provisions are lacking and constitute a major gap in that legislation.
Juan Lopez Villar
Contact:
biosafety@foeeurope.org
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