JIGMOD in CIS consists of several components: -

Launching of GMO free CIS initiative; Distribution of AntiGMO resolution of the Alliance meeting; Public inspections to supermarkets in order to find any GMO labeling; Actions and lessons in schools and universities; Special Internet page

For GMO free CIS! Within CIS Alliance for Biosafety in connection to JIGMOD we launched a GMO free Moscow, GMO free – Sverdlovskaya oblast’ (Urals) and GMO free Armenia initiatives. Moscow is a separate region of Russia. One more and one of the biggest regions of Russia – Sverdlovskaya oblast’ (Urals) also jointed GMO free regions initiative dedicated to JIGMOD. On the 10th of April letters to Moscow Governor (campaign banner is attached), to the Governor of Sverdlovskaya oblast’ and to the Mayor of Yekaterinburg – capital of Sverdlovskaya oblast’, Government and Parliament of Armenia were sent. As Russia and Armenia do not grow GMOs now in our letters we came up with the following suggestions: - To declare Moscow, Sverdlovskaya oblast’ and Armenia areas where GMOs will not be grown under any conditions for the coming 5 years (for Moscow it means not to grow GMOs on municipal agricultural lands). - To provide implementation of labeling regulations and to raise penalties for violation. Joint CIS NGOs AntiGMO resolution Resolution of the meeting was distributed 1-8 of April in 8 countries of CIS (Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Transnistria, Russia, Ukraine and Tajikistan) to more than 100 mass media, to national and local authorities and to more than 1000 NGOs in. The Alliance called for the following: • • • • • •

Further elaboration of national laws for regulation of trade of GMOs and GM food products using positive experience of EU; Ratifying (Georgia, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan) and implementation on national levels of Cartagena Biosafety Protocol; Ratifying (Russia and Uzbekistan) of Aarhus Convention and of annexes (all CIS countries) which regulate public participation in decision making process for GMO related matters; Introduction to national laws of the provisions about GMO free zones and rights of administrative bodies to declare such zones; Cooperation among ministries and institutions responsible for different biosafety related matters (ecological, agricultural, sanitary, custom bodies) and involvement of NGOs; Creation on national levels of efficient system of state control over GMOs and their processed products independent from producer;

• • • •

Applying of GEF/UNEP projects facilities for providing efficient biosafety measures but not for propaganda of GMOs; transparency of those projects and public participation in them; Raising of level of social responsibility of business in relation to GMO issue; Interstate cooperation on governmental and non-governmental levels for the sake of biosafety; Expression by delegations of CIS countries of a clear and tough position during negotiations related to biosafety (Aarhus convention, Cartagena Protocol, Codex Alimentarius, etc.) aimed to strengthen the efficiency of those documents and protection of citizens’ rights to know and participate in GMO related decision making processes.

Public inspections to supermarkets: -

On the 10th of April Inspections took place in Yekaterinburg (capital of Sverdlovskaya oblast’). No product labeled as GM were found, although according to official information around 12% of food samples which is tested annually contains GMOs. And in Yekaterinburg the percentage of products found to contain GMO is one of the highest in Russia.

Actions and workshops in schools, universities and other places During April educational actions took place in 3 towns of Sverdlovskaya oblast’ (Russia) – lessons and actions in schools and universities (photo is attached); in Kostroma (Russia) – lessons in schools and universities; Moldova (Bendery, Transnistria) – workshop for representatives of authorities and media. Together it covered more than 1000 people. Internet page: Internet page of JIGMOD was created on http://biosafety.ru (Russian language) URL: http://www.biosafety.ru/index.php?idp=23&idn=398. On the homepage a news line and navigation to the even page were made.

Victoria Kopeykina Eremurus Club/CIS Alliance for Biosafety Moscow, Russia [email protected] [email protected] www.biosafety.ru