GMO free Regions and biodiversity

international | eu | event notice Monday November 15, 2004 23:01 by Benny Haerlin - Foundation on Future Farming conference at zs-l dot de Marienstr.19, D-^10117 Berlin, Germany + 49 30 27590309

European Conference 22-23 January 05, Berlin

During the International Green Week in Berlin this two day conference will
bring together farmers, activists and experts, politicians, scientists,
lawyers and civil servants working for GMO free regions in Europe.
They will share information, experience and know-how and join forces to make
the cause for GMO-free regions heard in Brussels and in the capitals of
Europe.

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AER, Assembly of European Regions, GENET, European NGO Network on genetic engineering, Foundation on Future Farming with support from German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and the Ministry for Environment
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European Conference, Berlin 22/23 January 2005
Announcement and Call for Participation
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GMO FREE REGIONS, BIODIVERSITY AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN EUROPE
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http://www.zs-l.de/conference

During the International Green Week in Berlin this two day conference will
bring together farmers, activists and experts, politicians, scientists,
lawyers and civil servants working for GMO free regions in Europe.
They will share information, experience and know-how and join forces to make
the cause for GMO-free regions heard in Brussels and in the capitals of
Europe.

Farmers, environmental and consumers organisations, companies, local and
regional authorities throughout Europe are looking for the best ways to
prevent the use of GMOs in their regions and in their products. Thousands of
communities have declared themselves GMO free in Austria, France, Germany,
Greece, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Poland and the UK. Regional governments
have formed an alliance defending their right to stay GMO free. For the
different regions in Europe the use of GMOs touches fundamental issues of
their future rural development, their traditions, heritage and diversity as
well as economic and environmental sustainability.

WHO SHOULD PARTICIPATE?

Everybody interested and active in the field and speaking sufficient English
to follow the conference
(no simultaneous interpretation, but some language aid will be available):
* Active GMO free farmers and food producers
* Representatives of GMO free regions and communities
* Civil servants and politicians working on GMO free regions and protected
areas
* Scientists, legal and economic experts on the issue
* NGOs and institutions planning to establish GMO free Regions

WHAT TO EXPECT?

* Introduction to the issue
* Presentations of cases and concepts of GMO free Regions in Europe
* Intensive, well prepared workshops on key aspects
* Discussion of strategies and public presentation of joint demands
* Contacts and opportunities for bilateral, regional and international
co-operation

REGISTRATION / CONTACT

Please use the online registration form at
http://www.zs-l.de/conference
or ask for a registration form via email: conference@zs-l.de or phone
+49-30-275 903 09

Institutional and commercial registration fee 80 €
GENET members and NGO registration reduced fee 30 €

SPEAKERS

Speakers will include government and NGO representatives of GMO free regions
and areas throughout Europe, of nature protection authorities, national
governments, the European Union and international bodies, activists from
environmental, consumer and farmer organisations, companies, privat sector,
scientists and legal experts working in the field.
Regional and national ministers as well as proponents of GMOs are invited to
a public debate.

PROGRAMME

Friday 21.1.2005: Arrival, Registration, Welcome

Saturday 22.1.2005
09:00-11:00 Introduction
What is different about GM technologies?
EU GMO free regions and zones - an overview
The global situation and movements
11:30-13:30 Parallel workshops:
A 1- Basics of GM technology
A 2- Risk assessment, precaution and approval processes
A 3- EU legislation on GMOs
A 4- GMOs and biodiversity
A 5- Testing and controls of GMOs
15:00-17:00 GMO free regions: presentation of case studies Austria, Croatia,
France, Germany, Hungary,
Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, UK
17:30-19:30 Public panel discussion of Ministers, companies and NGOs
19:30-22:00 Dinner-buffet and reception

Sunday 23.1.2005
08:30-10:30 Parallel workshops:
B 1- GMO patents and seeds legislation
B 2- Science and technology assessment - case studies
B 3- Trade rules and forces and commodities
B 4- GMOs and protected areas
B 5- Coexistence and seeds
B 6- GM free regions and co-existence legislation in the EU
11:00-13:00 Bazar: Poster presentations and open space
14:30-16:00 Parallel workshops:
C 1- community organisation
C 2- regional and local marketing of non-GMO quality products
C 3- Consumers keep food processors and retailers GMO free
C 4- Inter-regional and EU networking
C 5- Influencing national legislation on co-existence and GMOs
16:30-18:00 Presentation of joint demands and priorities: European GMO free
manifesto


THE CONFERENCE IS JOINTLY ORGANISED BY:

GENET, European NGO Network on genetic engineering
Hartmut Meyer, In den Steinäckern 13, D - 38116 Braunschweig, Germany
phone +49 (0) 531 5168746, fax +49 (0) 531 5168747
http://www.genet-info.org

AER, Assembly of European Regions
Agnès Ciccarone, Immeuble Europe, 20, place des Halles F- 67000 Strasbourg,
France
phone + 33 (0) 3 88220707; fax + 33 (0) 3 69201318
http://www.are-regions-europe.org

ZS-L, Foundation on Future Farming (CONFERENCE SECRETARIAT)
Benedikt Haerlin, Ilona Crüger, Zukunftsstiftung Landwirtschaft,
Marienstr.19-20, D-10117 Berlin, Germany
phone +49 (0) 30 27590309, fax +49 (0) 30 27590312,
http://www.zs-l.de and http://www.saveourseeds.org

SUPPORT
The conference is supported by Germany's Federal Agency for Nature
Conservation (Bundesamt für Naturschutz) with funds from the German Ministry