The first of a series of "behind closed doors" negotiation meetings takes place this week between the EU Commission, the EU Parliament and the Slovenian Presidency to try to hammer out a deal on the revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD). The Parliament has so far held strong on the ambitious targets it has proposed for recycling and waste prevention.
Throughout the process of revision, the UK NFUs have been trying to minimize the bureaucracy of the Waste Framework Directive with regards to exemptions, registering on-farm waste activities and eliminating duplication between other legislation lik
e the animal by products regulations. If the series of tri-logues are successful the EU could adopt a new WFD by mid summer.
Commissioners to
debate GMs
EU Commissioners are expected to debate wide ranging issues in relation to genetically modified organisms at a special breakfast meeting ahead of the weekly Commission 'College' meeting on Wednesday. While sources in the Commission have been reluctant to confirm the precise agenda for the meeting, it is thought that the approval process for GMOs and national bans such as that in force in Austria will be on the table. Despite increasing political pressure because of high feed and food prices, views amongst Commissioners on the future of GMs are thought to be mixed and it remains to be seen whether this high level meeting will clear the path for speedier approval of GMs in the EU. The UFU has been lobbying extensively on this issue.
Last week, COPA/COGECA hosted a first GM task force meeting. The purpose of the Task Force is to raise awareness among member organisations about GM issues and to bridge the gaps.
GM Bt maize performs
in Spain
So far Bt maize is the only genetically modified plant approved for cultivation in Europe. Large quantities of this maize are grown in Spain in particular – in 2007 it accounted for around 17% of Spain's total maize growing area. Now for the first time, farmers' experiences of Bt maize have been recorded in a survey published in the journal Nature Biotechnology.
In the three years from 2002 to 2004, the farmers who grew Bt maize obtained higher average yields than the farmers who grew conventional maize. The yield increases also resulted in direct increases in the incomes of the farmers growing Bt maize. There were also fewer insecticide applications with Bt maize, with no insecticide was used on 70% of the Bt maize fields.
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