Seeds for a sustainable future

• DG SANCO consultation on review of EU laws on seed marketing: options and analysis paper + Action plan + 12 directives under review
• Claudia OLAZABAL, DG ENVI, European Commission - EU biodiversity strategy presentation (ppt)
• Maaike RAAIJMAKERS, IFOAM EU - presentation (pdf) - organic farmers and access to seeds
• Gebhard ROSSMANITH, Director of Bingenheimer Seeds  - presentation by seed producer (pdf)
• Gebhard ROSSMANITH, Director of Bingenheimer Seeds  - diagram - 4 types of varietues produced in EU (pdf)
• Declaration from the Seeds campaign:
  Saatgut ist Menschenrecht! - Access to seeds is a human right
• Francis FAY, DG AGRI, European Commission - presentation (ppt) - Reg. 870/2004
• Regulation 870/2004 on conservation of genetic resources in agriculture
• Sébastien CRÉPIEUX, DG RTB, European Commission - presentation (ppt) - EU research goals

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Conference Programme

Panel 1: Revision of the EU seed marketing legislation – what change is needed for more diversity?

• Harry VASSALLO, member of Cabinet, Directorate General for Health and Consumers, DG SANCO
  Stakeholder consultation on revision of current EU seed marketing law: what needs to be changed to preserve agricultural diversity?
  

• Claudia OLAZABAL (tbc), Head of Biodiversity, Unit B2 Nature Conservation & Biodiversity, Directorate General for Environment, DG ENVI
  Diversity of genetic resources in the context of International commitments and the EU's Biodiversity Strategy: Is agricultural biodiversity part of the equation?
  
• Maaike RAAIJMAKERS, IFOAM EU member, Biologica
  The organic producers' perspective  
  
• Gebhard ROSSMANITH, Director of Bingenheimer Saatgut AG seed producers 
  The perspective of plant breeders and seed producers
  
• Guy KASTLER, Réseau Semences Paysannes, European Coordination Via Campesina
  Seed saving and exchange: A farmer's right
  
• Blanche MARGARINOS-REY, Lawyer representing a court case on EU seed law at the European Court of Justice

 Panel 2: Seeds under threat? Issue: Biotechnology and patents

• Harry VASSALLO, member of Cabinet, Directorate General for Health and Consumers, DG SANCO
  GMO free seed: How does the EU guarantee the choice of farmers and consumers?
  

• Benedikt HAERLIN, Save Our Seeds
  GMO contamination of conventional and organic seeds; do patents threaten diversity and farmers' choice?
  
• Mute SCHIMPF, Food Campaigner, Friends of the Earth Europe
  The real costs of GM contamination along the food chain. Ways to maintain agricultural biodiversity and the quality of seeds.

Panel 3: Conservation, sustainable innovation and plant breeding – what impulses are needed?

• Francis FAY, deputy head of unit for Agricultural Product Quality Policy, Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development, DG AGRI
  The EU regulation on conservation and sustainable use of genetic diversity in agriculture (Reg. 870/2004):  Is there need for improvement and greater ambition to fulfil society's expectations?
  

• Sébastien CREPIEUX, Unit E4 Agriculture, Forests, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Directorate General for Research and Innovation, DG RTD Research projects on plant breeding and agronomy: Are conservation and development of biodiversity and sustainable farming goals for research?
  
• Prof Urs NIGGLI, member of Technology Platform Organics, Director of FiBL
  Innovation and research: What kind of knowledge and research is the basis for progress in sustainable farming systems?