GMO-free europe

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National:
Regions: Four regions (the two islands Menorca and Mallorca, as well as Asturias and the Basque Country) have declared themselves GMO-free.
Municipalities: More than 30 municipalities have declared themselves GMO-free.
International cooperation: Asturias, Menorca and the Basque Country are part of the European Network of GMO-free regions.

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GMO-free regions

GMO free SpainSeveral regions have reacted to the authorization to commercially grow GM maize varieties granted by the Spanish government since 1998.
The parliamment of Menorca has passed a declaration to go GMO-free on Monday 28th of November 2005. Menorca is the second biggest island of Balears, after Mallorca. Mallorca followed in December 2006.
The region has also pledged to join the European Network of GMO-free Regions.

The region of Asturias declared itself GMO-free on 20 May 2004. The regional Parliament adopted a Resolution that calls on the regional government to:

• become part of the European Network of GMO-free Regions to put pressure on the EU to take into account in its policy on GMOs the agricultural and environmental strategies of the European regions.
• avoid the negative impacts of GMOs on the quality of farming products from Asturias.
• point out in the National Biosafety Commission the negative impact of GMOs on the production strategy of the farming sector in Asturias.

The Basque country (País Vasco) has issued a five year blanket moratorium on GMOs. The Basque Government claims full powers on agricultural policy and thus that they can provisionally ban GMOs. The Basque country has also joined the European Network of GMO-free regions.

GMO-free municipalities

The local authorities of at least 30 municipalities in Spain have also passed GMO-free declarations in the following regions:

• Andalucía: Almonte (Huelva), Pozoblanco (Córdoba)
• Asturias: Aller, Cangas de Narcea, Castropol, Penamellera Baja, Carreno, Riosa
• Baleares: Esporles, Manacor, Perreres
• Cataluna: Rubí (Barcelona), Ripoll (Gerona), Valls (Tarragona), Sitges (Barcelona)
• Castilla - La Mancha: Albacete
• Castilla y León: Palencia
• Murcia: Bullas
• Navarra: Valle del Yerri
• País Vasco (Basque country): Arama (Guipúzcoa), Itsasondo (Guipúzcoa), Elgeta (Guipúzcoa), Zalbidia (Guipúzcoa), Abanto (Vizcaya), Amoroto (Vizcaya), Arratzu (Vizcaya), Aulesti (Vizcaya), Balmaseda (Vizcaya), Izurtza (Vizcaya), Muskiz (Vizcaya), Otxandio (Vizcaya), Turtzioz (Vizcaya), Amurrio (Álava)

GMO-free zones in the Basque Country

In July 2007, 153 municipalities (parishes) in the Basque Country had one or the other form of GMO-free declaration, adding up to a total of about 300 GMO-free regions.
They range from (farmers') allotments, school allotments to farms, feed suppliers and municipalities.
For details check the GM-free Basque Country Mail, July 2007

Contacts

Action in Palma: Action handing out info to the ARE delegates in Palma de Mallorca asking for their support to pressure the local government.
Amigos de la Tierra España
David Sánchez
phone: +34 91 3069921
email: omg@tierra.org
website: www.tierra.org

EHNE

website: www.ehne.org

COAG

website: www.coag.org

Greenpeace

website: www.greenpeace.org/espana

Ecologistas en Acción

website: www.ecologistasenaccion.org