Brussels, 13/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The revolt by the regions and local representatives of Europe, who are fiercely opposed to GMOs, continues. The Greens/EFA Group at the European Parliament will, on 19-20 April in Brussels, host the third annual conference of the regions of Europe that have declared themselves to be GMO-free. This conference on “GMO-free regions, biodiversity and rural development” will gather some 200 representatives from 30 European countries as well as from third countries (India, China, Japan, Russia and United States). Their discussions will focus on the three following themes: - the state of national, regional and EU legislation on approvals, risks, liabilities and the eventual co-existence of GMO and GMO-free agriculture and horticulture; - the threat of erosion of biodiversity, the assets of independent and sustainable farming practices, and the problems arising from monopolies of a limited number of seed companies; - and the challenges for integrated rural development, including biodiversity, regional food culture and food security arising from the global competition between food and fuel production.
More then 180 regions of Europe, over 3,500 municipalities and other local entities and tens of thousands of farmers in the EU have declared their commitment not to allow the use of genetically modified organisms in their territories. (an)