Commission Communication on the Implementation of National Measures on the Coexistence of Genetically Modified Crops with Conventional and Organic Farming (link)

Brussels, 10 Mar 2006

Full text of Document 7210/06 Addendum 01
Suite of documents 7210/06

Subject: Communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament
Report on the implementation of national measures on the coexistence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming
Delegations will find attached Commission document SEC(2006) 313.

COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES

Brussels, 9.3.2006
SEC(2006) 313

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT
Annex to the
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Report on the implementation of national measures on the coexistence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic farming

1. INTRODUCTION

Co-existence refers to the ability of farmers to make a practical choice between conventional, organic and GM crop production, in compliance with the legal obligations for labelling and/or purity criteria. None of these types of agriculture should be excluded in the EU. The possibility of adventitious presence of GM crops in non-GM crops can not be dismissed, and may have commercial implications for the farmers whose crops are affected. Consequently, suitable measures during cultivation, harvest, transport, storage, and processing may be necessary to ensure co-existence. Co-existence thus concerns only the economic implications of GMO admixture, the measures to achieve sufficient segregation between GM and non-GM production and as the costs of such measures.

Agriculture is an open process, which means that perfect segregation of the different agricultural production types is not possible in practice. Co-existence of these production types which will not lead to a systematic exclusion of one or more of them can only be ensured if the segregation measures are designed in a way that takes these limitations into account.

In the case of presence of material which contains, consists of or is produced from GMOs above specific tolerance levels the existing legal requirements for GMOs and GM food and feed apply also to conventional products. In particular, products consisting of or containing GMOs and food products produced from GMOs which have been lawfully placed on the

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