GMO FREE ZONES IN POLAND

THE DECLARATION FOR GMO FREE POLAND AND EUROPE Jasna Góra, April 24, 2008

We, the participants of the prayer meeting, which took place in the Sanctuary of Our Lady in Częstochowa during the conference entitled "GMO Free Poland: Ethical Aspects of Attempts to Introduce GMOs into Polish Agriculture" join in strong solidarity with the Coalition for a GMO Free Poland "POLSKA WOLNA OD GMO" and other Polish and international institutions, and millions of EU citizens who want a GMO-free Poland and Europe. We are calling on the government of the Republic of Poland, the governments of all other EU countries and the European Commission, to respect the voice of the majority of their constituencies, who favor stopping the import and sale of all GMOs, as well as immediate enforcement of a ban on cultivation of genetically-modified plants and seeds.

To achieve this goal we demand the enforcement of the 10-year MORATORIUM on cultivation of all types of genetically-modified plants in the open environment of Europe, as well as a ban on the import and marketing of GMO products. This 10-year period should be devoted to laboratory research that would determine the absolute safety of GMOs. The inability to scientifically prove the absolute safety of GMOs in the first five years of the moratorium would necessitate that the remaining period of the moratorium be used to find, and put into effect, toxic free ways of eliminating the effects of biological contamination caused by transgenic organisms previously released into the environment. Under these conditions the moratorium should be extended indefinitely.

At the same time, we demand that funds be provided for research and development connected with traditional and ecological agriculture, which would guarantee the maintenance of biodiversity and soil fertility, also ensuring animal welfare and citizens’ health.

Jasna Góra, April 24, 2008

Participants of the conference "GMO Free Poland: Ethical Aspects of Attempts to Introduce GMOs into Polish Agriculture" organized by the COALITION FOR A GMO FREE POLAND.

www.polska-wolna-od-gmo.org

You can download the forms for signatures:

• [*.pdf]
• [*.doc]

CALL FOR A NEW MORATORIUM ON GMOs.

ICPPC has been calling for 10 year MORATORIUM on all GMOs in EU

The launch of "The Ten Year Moratorium" on June 30th at the conference "GMO, CAP, Biodiversity - European Solidarity" at the European Parliament received strong support from participants who were unanimously against the European Commission's concept of 'co-existence'.

Why MORATORIUM?
- Supporting facts:

• Over 95% of Poland has been declared as GMO free. This complements over 160 existing regional GMO Free Zones and 4,000 smaller areas across Europe. This situation, plus the fact that over 80% of European consumers are against GMO's, sends a powerful signal that GMO's ARE NOT WANTED.
• In addition to this, recent scandals surrounding the attempt to cover-up reports revealing serious health implications of Monsanto's GM Maize product MON863, and the "loss" of 1,000 tons of Syngenta's genetically modified Bt.10 maize in Europe, have exposed huge flaws in the control and authorisation systems of GMO's in the EU.
• Furthermore, the proposal that organic and conventional crops can somehow "coexist" with GM crops in European agriculture, is completely impossible to achieve in reality and would lead to widespread and unstoppable cross contamination.
• The health of man and the health of nature are inseparable. GMO's threaten to destabilize and destroy the foundations of human and environmental well being.

If you support this action, please send ICPPC a letter (fax: 0048 33 8797114, e-mail: biuro@icppc.pl) stating: "I/we support a ten year moratorium against all GMO's in the European Union" including your name/organisation, position, signature and address.
 
(*) ICPPC - International Coalition to Protect the Polish Countryside, Międzynarodowa Koalicja dla Ochrony Polskiej Wsi
34-146 Stryszów 156, Poland tel./fax +48 33 8797114 biuro@icppc.pl,www.icppc.pl www.gmo.icppc.pl www.eko-cel.pl

Who signed moratrium:

• vips [*.doc]
• organizations [*.doc]