Dear friends,
As you may know, the European Commission (DG SANCO) is presently working on the review of the legislation on the Marketing of Seed and Propagating Material (S&PM).
This review is a unique opportunity to improve biodiversity, consumers´ choice and to enhance the situation of diversity-farmers and seed savers.
This is not only a theoretical question. The current legal framework on S&PM has contributed to a massive loss of varietal agro-biodiversity within the last few decades. Furthermore, it has favored high-yield-by-high-input agriculture. It has fostered the concentration process in the seed sector and has led to increasing dependence of farmers and other seed users on industrial seeds.
In an Open Letter, addressed to the Commission and EU Parliamentarians, organizations representing civil society now demand for a decided improvement of the EU legislation on seeds, with regards to the environment, but also consumers and farmers demands for more biodiversity on the fields and tables.
The Open Letter has been co-initiated by 11 European organisations. You will find the Open Letter attached and also on www.SeedForAll.org.
We invite you to sign the Open Letter and would be really happy to receive your support for this common effort to preserve and enhanced future seed diversity.
Please respond until May 2nd, 2012.
We would be very thankful if you would forward this email to other interested people and to do some advertisement for this Open Letter.
Initiators and co-signers of the open letter: Arche Noah, IFOAM EU, European Environmental Bureau EEB, Birdlife Europe, Euro Coop, ARC2020, APRODEV, GRAIN, Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity, European Coordination Via Campesina, European Professional Beekeepers Association
Best regards,
Pierre Sultana
Arche Noah
Belgium: Rue de Londres, 17 - 1050 BRUXELLES
Austria: Obere Strasse 40, 3553 SCHILTERN
Tel: +32 2 347 09 11
pierre[email protected], www.arche-noah.at