eu
Take action in the legislative process of EU-Seed regulation!
There is urgent action needed to avoid damage by the upcoming new EU regulation of seed marketing. The new regulation will de facto ban old and rare varieties and farmers varieties and threaten the exchange and selling of seeds of diversity. DG SANCO (the General Direction of the EU for Sanitary and Consumer affairs) has been working on a proposal for a new regulation since years. On Monday, the 6th of May they will present their proposal to the conference of commissioners. They could not get a consensus of the two other affected DGs, DG AGRI (agricultural affairs) and DG ENVI (environmental affairs). Both opposed the last draft of the proposal, and DG SANCO is not looking for a consensus. Read more...
EC about to hand over power over seeds to seed giants
PRESS RELEASE 2 May 2013
Amsterdam/Nijmegen – On Monday 6 May, the European Commission will vote on a proposal by the Directorate General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) for new seed regulations. Large seed companies have long pushed for these regulations in order to further strengthen their market positions. The new rules will mean that farmers and independent breeders will be forbidden to use old and rare seeds if they are not on the European varieties list. This threatens the exchange and sale of many currently available varieties, and thus also the cultivation of these crops. The regulations will cause a serious decline in agrobiodiversity. ASEED Europe, Platform Aarde Boer Consument, Stichting Zaadgoed and Cityplot, together with many other civil society organizations in Europe, are calling upon European Commissioner Neelie Kroes and all other commissioners with an international petition (1) to vote against the proposal. Read more...GM foods: the need for tightening the EU rules
By Geert Ritsema, GMO campaigner Greenpeace International
Over the last decade European consumers and their organizations have successfully influenced EU policy on genetically modified (GM) foods. Milestones such as a mandatory labelling and traceability system for GM ingredients have been achieved. But, according to Geert Ritsema of Greenpeace International, it would be a mistake to assume that the battle over GM foods has been won and that consumer’s interests have been secured.
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Good Food March for sustainable, fair, GM- and patent-free food and agriculture
As the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) for 2014-2020 is being debated in Brussels, people 
in Europe are taking action for a complete overhaul of the current CAP, which favours trade-orientated, large-scale industrial farming and stimulates surpluses dumped in the Global South. The Good Food March is an initiative supported by over 100 European organisations who demand a fair and sustainable food system and agriculture in Europe and in the South. The initiative included actions in countries throughout Europe and bike tours from meeting points in The Netherlands, Austria, Germany, Belgium and France to Brussels that continued for several weeks.
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Round Table on Responsible Soy suffers setbacks
Corporate Europe Observatory, 09 April 2010 - The Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS), a much criticised initiative for the certification of soy as "responsible", has stepped up its lobbying to be included under the EU's Renewable Energy Directive to certify "sustainable agrofuels". This would give RTRS-approved soy, much of which would be produced in unsustainable and damaging monoculture farming, the EU's seal of approval in the context of the EU 10% agrofuels target. But the RTRS' lobby efforts are now facing setbacks as an important Brazilian player has left the RTRS and the Dutch government seems to be having seconds thoughts about "responsible" soy. The RTRS was so far financed principally by the Dutch government.
continue reading on the CEO site.
Protest in jammed Brussels against Agrofuel corporate proposals
January 31 2008, Brussels - Today, campaigners staged an anti-agrofuel protest in front of the Diamant conference centre in Brussels. Here, the 'European Biofuels Technology Platform' (EBFTP) presented their advise for the EU's research budget and policy on agrofuels to 'stakeholders'. The EBFTP absurdly promotes a target of 25% blending of agrofuels for all transport needs by 2030, in a time where the currently proposed 10% is already highly contested. (with online video report) Read more...
Gentech department BASF retreats from Europe
The multinational chemical company BASF announced on January 16th to halt any developments and marketing of genetically modified plants in Europe. They stated that the resistance against GMO's is too great.BASF focused especially on the developments of potatoes on the European market. It seems that their plans within the Netherlands have also come to a halt, regarding the Amflora potato (production of propagating material) and the development of Modena together with Dutch starch cooperative AVEBE. The approval process of the GM consumption potato Fortuna will be finished and include a field trial in Dinteloord (NL) and in Sweden and Germany as well. Read more...