The Austrian EU Presidency threw all its weight behind staging the so far biggest conference on Coexistence of GM and non-GM crops which will take place in Vienna from 4th to 6th April 2006.

“We are curious to find out if this will be a breakthrough or yet another deadlock” says Garlich v. Essen, Secretary General of ESA (European Seed Association), the European head organisation of plant breeders and seed producers. In view of the year-long anti-biotech policy of Austria and recent public statements of the responsible Minister, the seed industry is sceptical about the Presidencies intentions and has voiced criticism about the set-up of the conference, in particular as regards the lack of involvement of farmers with practical coexistence experience, e.g. from Spain where about a quarter of a million hectares of GM maize has been grown since the end of the 1990s without any disruptions of trade or court cases between farmers.

“Conference after conference ever more obscure ideas are put forward to discourage farmers from using GM varieties. These ideas are not about enabling choice but about denying it. Still, this will not prevent the technology from being taken up all over the world and its products to be sold to European consumers. But it may prevent EU farmers from using an important innovation in their struggle for international competitiveness.” warns Garlich v. Essen. The industry is particularly worried about unrealistic and costly purity thresholds and additional production requirements for its seed where costs increase exponentially with every lowering of the threshold. Studies specify these increases between 20% and more than 65%. ESA has been battling for the setting of practical thresholds for years but the EU is stilling dragging its feet on a respective decision.

What does the European seed industry then await from the Vienna conference? Garlich v. Essen keeps expectations low. “I fear we will once more enter into a discussion about risks and whether or not we need biotechnology. But that is not what a Coexistence conference should be about. It should be about applying experience, common sense and a calculator to allow farmers and consumers a fair choice between equally safe and approved products.” Still, he also sees the opportunity to present facts and figures. “They speak for themselves. We can make coexistence work. We are ready to prove it. And we want to start proving it now!”

ESA is the voice of the European seed industry, representing the interests of those active in research, breeding, production and marketing of seeds of agricultural, horticultural and ornamental plant species. Its membership consists of more than 45 direct company members and 35 national seed associations standing for more than 400 seed enterprises all over Europe of which the vast majority are small and medium sized businesses.

ESA’s mission is to work for effective protection of intellectual property rights relating to plants and seeds, fair and proportionate regulation of the European seed industry and freedom of choice for customers (farmers, growers, industry and consumers) in supplying seeds as a result of innovative, diverse technologies and production methods.