17 May 2005: Rendez-vous in Brussels "For a sustainable European agriculture"

On 17th May 2005, the Assembly of European Regions (AER) is organising a conference on 'Safeguarding sustainable European agriculture: coexistence, GMO free zones and the promotion of quality food produce in Europe', in cooperation with Friends of the Earth Europe (FOEE) and with the support of the Land Upper Austria-A and the Region Tuscany-I.

The following questions will be dealt with:

- Why a Conference on coexistence, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) free zones and quality agriculture?
- Actively promoting traditional and organic agriculture: a complementary action for ensuring the sustainable development of European agriculture,
- Which legal framework for coexistence, liability and GMO free zones? Problems and Proposals

The AER kindly invites you to follow this debate on 17th May 2005, at the European Parliament - Altiero Spinelli Building, Wiertz Street, 1st floor, Room P1A002 - in Brussels. At 2.00 PM, we will announce our recommendations for the European legal framework to ensure coexistence. You will find in annex the programme for this event. All information is available on www.gmofree-conference.org/

This Conference follows up on AER actions since 2004, the day after the European Commission authorised the commercialisation of new GMOs. The AER has since voiced the demands of European citizens and a growing number of regional and local authorities, which have mobilized to guarantee quality food across Europe.

AER Contacts
Agnès Ciccarone, Executive Secretary for Committee 'Regional Policy' or Estelle Desgouttes, Assistant - Tel. +33 (0)3 88 22 74 37/ 38 - a.ciccarone@a-e-r.org - e.desgouttes@a-e-r.org,
Barbara Skoczylas-Thauront, Responsible Press and Communications or Francine Huhardeaux, Assistant - Tel. +33 3 88 22 74 46/49 - b.thauront@a-e-r.org - f.huhardeaux@a-e-r.org.