Sustainable introduction of GM crops into european agriculture: a summary report of the FP6 SIGMEA research project^*

¹ Eco-Innov, INRA, BP1, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
² Scottish Crop Research Institute, Dundee DD2 5DA, United Kingdom
³ Oaklands barn, Lug’s Lane, Broome, Norfolk NR35 2HT, United Kingdom
⁴ European Commission/Joint Research Centre (JRC), Institute for Prospective Technological Studies (IPTS), Edificio Expo, 41092 Seville, Spain
⁵ SIBLE, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
⁶ Centre Technique Interprofessionel des Oléagineux Métropolitains (CETIOM), Centre de Grignon BP4, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France
⁷ Department of General and Theoretical Ecology, Centre for Environmental Research and Sustainable Technology (UFT), University of Bremen, P. O. Box 330440, 28334 Bremen, Germany
⁸ Jŏzef Stefan Institute, Department of Knowledge Technologies, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
⁹ The Green, Willingham, Cambridge CB24 5JA, United Kingdom

^* messean@grignon.inra.fr

Abstract

In 2003, the European Commission established the principle of coexistence which refers to “the ability of farmers to make a practical choice between conventional, organic and GM-crop production, in compliance with the legal obligations for labelling and/or purity standards” and laid down guidelines defining the context of this coexistence1. In order to determine what is needed for the sustainable introduction of GM crops in Europe, the cross-disciplinary SIGMEA Research Project was set up to create a science-based framework to inform decision-makers. SIGMEA has (i) collated and analysed European data on gene flow and the environmental impacts of the major crop species which are likely to be transgenic in the future (maize, rapeseed, sugar beet, rice, and wheat), (ii) designed predictive models of gene flow at the landscape level, (iii) analysed the technical feasibility and economic impacts of coexistence in the principal farming regions of Europe, (iv) developed novel GMO detection methods, (v) addressed legal issues related to coexistence, and (vi) proposed public and farm scale decisionmaking tools, as well as guidelines regarding management and governance. This publishable version of the final activity report of the FP6 SIGMEA research project, covers the fourteen major issues under investigation.