A vote was taken on the application to import GM oilseed rape (GT73 from Monsanto) at
Environment Council on 20 December but no QMV was reached. The Commission are therefore
expected to make a decision on this trait in line with scientific advice shortly (i.e. in
favour).
The application to import GM maize (MON 863 from Monsanto) will be the next dossier to
be voted on at Council of Ministers as no QMV was reached at Regulatory Committee on 29
November 2004. No date has yet been scheduled.
A vote will be taken on 1507 maize at 2001/18 Regulatory Committee on 7 March.
Note: Any new applications for GMOs including food and/or feed use will be made under the
new Food and Feed Regulations. Information can be obtained on these new applications from
the Food Standards Agency who take the lead.
ACRE
The results of the final farm scale evaluation of GM crops – autumn sown oilseed rape -
will be published by the Royal Society on 21 March. ACRE will be holding an open meeting to
discuss the results on 25 May.
A EU negotiating position will be voted on at Environment Council on 10 March in
preparation for the Second Meeting of the Parties to the Convention in May 2005.
Environmental Liability
[No change] Member States have until 30 April 2007 to transpose the provisions of the
Environmental Liability Directive into national law. Defra intends to consult stakeholders
and more widely in Spring 2005, Autumn 2005 and summer 2006 on options, proposals and draft
legislation respectively.
Welsh Assembly Government
The forthcoming public consultation exercise on coexistence measures will be our main
priority this year.
We are still taking forward the Traceability and Labelling (Wales) Regulations, the
Deliberate Release (Amendments)(Wales) Regulations and Transboundary Movements (Wales)
Regulations and are trying to introduce them on parallel legislative timetables - we are
currently waiting to be informed of the slots available in the Assembly timetable for
them.
On 4 February, the Assembly was represented by officials at a conference in Florence and
signed a charter along with 19 other EU regions seeking the most restrictive interpretation
of GMO legislation.
Scottish Executive
Consultation underway on administrative and enforcement arrangements for implementation
of EU Regulations on Transboundary Movements of GMOs (Cartagena Protocol). Closing date: 22
April 2005.
Continuing to work on coexistence proposals, it is not now anticipated that we will go
out to consultation before summer 2005.
Northern Ireland
Department of the Environment in NI (Environmental Policy Group)
A consultation exercise on the administrative and enforcement arrangements for
implementation of EC Regulations on Traceability and Labelling of GMOs and GM Food
and Feed has been completed in conjunction with the FSANI. The draft regulations are under
active consideration by the Department’s legal advisers and are scheduled for making by the
end of March 2005.
A consultation exercise on the administrative and enforcement arrangements for
implementation of the EC Regulation on Transboundary Movements of GMOs (Cartagena Protocol)
has been completed. The draft regulations are under active consideration by the Department’s
legal advisers and are scheduled for making by the end of March 2005.
Coexistence discussions underway on the formulation of a strategy for NI in
parallel with other UK regions. Meetings have recently taken place with colleagues in
Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and in the Republic of Ireland.
Formal consultation and stakeholder meetings are planned for autumn 2005.
