Country Reports Coexistence in the UK

Coexistence in the UK is a devolved matter, and therefore the relevant authorities in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are each responsible for determining the measure to apply in their repsective territories.

In July 2006 the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affaris (Defra) published a consultation paper setting out proposed coexistence measures for England, focusing on requirement for maize, beet, potato and oilseed rape crops. The Defra paper also seeks views on related issues such as options for compensating financial losses that non-GM farmers might face, and whether there should be a detailed GM crop register.

The authorities in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are in the process of developing their own coexistence proposals and plan separate public consultations in due course.

All the UK administrations have agreed to enact coexistence measures before any commercial cultivation of GM crops takes place in the UK, which is not expected before 2008. 

List of stakeholders participating in the development of coexistence regulations at Defra.

See also on GMO-Compass:

• Coexistence: Different Agricultural Systems Working Side by Side