The Assembly of European Regions (AER) and Friends of the Earth (FoE) launched a joint campaign in Strasbourg on 14 September that aims to protect traditional crops from the consequences of the introduction of new genetic technologies.
The AER and FoE will lobby, among other things, for a European legal framework on the coexistence of traditional and transgenic crops as well as a legal recognition of GMO - free zones in Europe.
The two groups call for several measures to be implemented including :
¨Separation distances¨ between Genetically Modified and traditional crops and a register for GMO’s
The introduction of a liability scheme, to compensate for the contamination of conventional or organic crops including their seeds by GMO’s.
The right of Member States and regional authorities to restrict the use and sale of GMO within the common market if there is evidence of a negative impact on the environment or a risk of extensive dissemination.
Regions to be allowed to define all or part of their territory as a GMO - free zone or region, without the decisions being seen as an infringement on the principle of free movement of goods.
Klaus Klipp, AER General Secretary, said "Since 1999 nearly 2000 regional and local authorities have already declared themselves GMO free - zones..... they want to confront the risks of contamination by GMO’s and to protect their traditional and organic agriculture."
He went on to say "via this joint initiative the AER aims to have the voice of the regions heard at the European Level."
The Vice President of the Agriculture committee, Mr. Janusz Wojciechowski was present at the campaign launch and said "Poland and other new EU Member states want to avoid the errors that the old EU Member states made in the past in order to preserve our traditional agriculture. We may produce less than them but our food must be natural and consumer-friendly. Only such a policy can help us to uphold small farms and maintain jobs in rural areas".
