The Vienna Conference on Coexistence of GM crops with non-GM production in European agriculture started off with a clear commitment from European Commission and Member States: “This conference is not about whether or not we should have GMOs in European agriculture. This conference is about how we organise this GM production in the future” said Commissioner Marian Fischer-Boel in her opening address and was seconded by Ministers Schmidt and Veerman from Denmark and the Netherlands: “The decision that we allow for GM seed and crop production has been taken. It is not up for discussion at this conference” was their common statement.

“I am happy to see that the Conference takes off in the right direction” said Garlich von Essen, Secretary General of ESA European Seed Association, the head organisation of the EU plant breeding and seed production industry. Referring to practical examples of coexistence in some Members States which were presented at the conference, von Essen points out that acceptance of practical farming conditions and technical expertise must be at the core of any sustainable concept of coexistence: “Seed industry and farmers have vast experience with coexistence. In fact, they practice at every day. But we practice it on the base of a sound understanding what is practical, economically feasible and necessary, not on ideology or unrealistic demands. If we finally accept to use the same practical approach on GMOs, the conference might actually mark an important turning point in the EUs policy discussion”.

The pragmatism and sense for the political and economic reality seemed to surprise biotech opponents who once again had organised their usual “GM-free” demonstration and voiced their principal opposition against any use of modern biotechnology in the EU’s agriculture. But this time, a demonstration of pro-biotech farmers took place
alongside the conference as well. Farmers expressed their demand to grow approved and safe GM maize to help them become more competitive and deal with specific pest problems on their farms.

“What these farmers demand is actually what the whole conference is all about: freedom of choice!” explains von Essen and confirms that the seed industry is committed to provide this choice to its customers. At the same time, von Essen renewed the industry’s demand for sustainable and practical thresholds for the presence of GMOs in non-GM seed – and received support fro this request from both Commission and Ministers who clearly expressed that minimum thresholds at technical detection levels would neither be practical nor economically sustainable, neither for farmers nor the seed industry.

“That reassurance is quite important to us. We now hope that the Commission will take respective action and put forward a proposal that takes account of the international competitiveness of the EU seed industry and the practical needs of European farmers” says Garlich von Essen on behalf the European seed industry.