PRESS RELEASE

10 June 2003

Ljubljana/Vienna - 10 June 2003 – Today, a joint GM free statement was signed by the presidents of organic farmers associations from five different regions in the Alpine countries. The statement is the
starting shot for the establishment of a transnational ALPE ADRIA zone free from GMOs (genetically modified organisms) and is supported by the agricultural minsters from the different regions. Several of the ministers were present during the signing ceremony. The GM free" bioregion" should comprise the whole of Slovenia, the Austrian provinces of Carinthia and Styria and the Italian provinces of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Veneto. The move by the provinces comes three weeks after the United States administration announced that it wants to bring a case in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) against the European Union over genetically modified food.

“Organic farming in Austria is already a very important agricultural practice and its potential to grow is big. We want to preserve and extend this potential also to future EU Member States and to ensure
farmers in the newly established bioregion to be able to farm in an environmentally and ethically acceptable manner and to provide consumers healthy, locally and sustainably produced food.” said Stefan Merkac from Bio-ERNTE Austira, the organisation that took the initiative for the bioregion.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Slovenia's Agriculture Minister, But said: “Personally I am very much in favour to establish the GM free region within the EU. I know that there are some obstacles at the EU
level to achieve this but I believe that such option should be possible and I hope and believe that we will use this opportunity and turn it into reality.”

The provincial Agriculture Minister for Carinthia Mr Wurmitzer added:" Nowadays we should not be only concerned with quantity but rather with quality of food we are producing in the region. At the EU level there are difficulties but also ways to avoid using GMOs. Next week I will propose our provincial law which will not ban GMOs but their cultivation would only be possible with special permission which would be very difficult to obtain."

The creation of the bioregion, dedicated to growing organic crops is an answer to the possible commercial re-introduction of GM crops in the European Union. Also the Austrian/Slovenian/Italian joint initiative is feeding into the current EU wide debate on co-existence: the growing of genetically modified (GM) and non-GM crops together. It is expected that the European Commission will present guidelines on how memberstates can ensure co-existence before the summerbreak.

" Against the background of rising pressure from the US administration, who wants to feed European consumers GM food against their will, this initiative forms an important antipole.” said Werner Mueller genetic engineering expert from Global 2000 (Friends of the Earth Austria).

"We encourage other regions of Europe to join this initiative or start their own initiatives to create GMO-free zones to enable the cultivation of non-GM food for the European market," stated Geert Ritsema from Friends of the Earth Europe, based in Brussels.

For further information:
Werner Mueller: +43/(0) 664 –357 35 17, Global 2000/Friends of the Earth Austria.
Marjana Dermelj: + 386 1 439 71 00, Coalition of NGOs for GM free Slovenia
Geert Ritsema: + 32 2 542 0182 or + 31-6-290 05 908 (mobile) Friends of the Earth Europe

Friends of the Earth is the largest grassroots environmental network in the world 
campaigning to protect the environment and to create sustainable societies.
Friends of the Earth Europe (FoEE) unites more than 30 national member groups with thousands of local groups.

Home