Original: english, spanish and french

GERMANY

[30 August 2006]

[SUBMISSION:ENGLISH]

1. Does your country have any plantations, either commercial or experimental, of genetically modified trees?
If yes, please answer all remaining questions.

If no, please state the reason why:

NO commercial release
YES, we have/had four experimental (field) releases of poplar (Populus tremula x P. tremuloides, Populus tremula x P. alba) for scientific research between 1996 and 2005 (see also Annex I containing a study by various contractors on behalf of the Federal Agency for Nature Protection: “Basic studies for the risk assessment of the deliberate release of genetically modified woody plants” (English translation) and Annex II containing a referenced list of several studies under the German Biosafety Research Programme).

________________________________________________________________________________

2. Has your country developed any platform/discussion forum/national committee etc. dealing

with genetically modified trees?
If yes, please answer the remaining questions.

If no, please state the reason why:

NO specific committee dealing with GM-trees only. However, the national Commission for Biosafety (ZKBS) is giving scientific advice with regard to the biosafety of genetically modified organisms.

________________________________________________________________________________

3. Does your country have any guidelines or regulations for minimizing the impacts of

genetically modified trees for scientific and/or commercial purposes?
If yes, please list them according to the categories below:

If no, please explain the reason why here:

Environmental impacts of genetically modified trees

(Example: effects on native ecosystems, use of herbicide)

Cultural impacts of genetically modified trees

(Example: positive or negative impacts on indigenous and local communities and their

traditional knowledge)

Socio-economic impacts of genetically modified trees

(Example: positive or negative effects on quantity, quality and economic value of forest

production; positive or negative impacts on livelihoods of communities)
YES;
National legislation including:

• 
  The Gene Technology Act
  

The German Gene Technology Act implements the respective EU Directives and Regulations (to be submitted by the European Commission) with regard to any genetically modified organism.

HUNGARY

[13 September 2006]

[SUBMISSION:ENGLISH]

1. Does your country have any plantations, either commercial or experimental, of genetically modified trees?

No.

Only one application for permit has arrived until now, but the competent authorities rejected it because of environmental reasons. This application for permit for plantations of genetically modified poplar trees was submitted on 18 March 2003.
2. Has your country developed any platform/discussion forum/national committee etc. dealing with genetically modified trees?

No.

Due to the low number of requests for plantations of genetically modified trees, there has been no need for developing a special platform, discussion forum or national committee dealing with GM trees.
However, Hungary has an independent Gene Technology Advisory Committee, which deals with genetically modified organisms including GM trees. The composition of the Gene Technology Advisory Committee is as follows:

• 
  the President of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences shall delegate five members;
  
• 
  the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Minister of Economy and Transport, the Minister of Environment and Water, the Minister of Education, the Minister of Health, Social and Family Affairs and the Managing Director of the National Committee for Technological Development shall delegate one representative each;
  
• 
  the non-governmental organizations of environmental protection purpose shall altogether delegate four representatives; and
  
• 
  the non-governmental organizations of health protection purpose shall altogether delegate two representatives.
  

This Committee delivers scientific opinion on the notifications considering the potential adverse effects on human and animal health and the environment. Afterwards, the gene technology authority shall decide about the application for permit taking into consideration the opinion of the Gene Technology Advisory Committee. The gene technology authority may reject the application for permit despite the positive opinion of the Gene Technology Advisory Committee.

3. Does your country have any guidelines or regulations for minimizing the impacts of

genetically modified trees for scientific and/or commercial purposes?
Yes.

Hungary has legislation in place for minimizing the impacts of any kind of genetically modified organisms including GM trees, namely Act No. XXVII of 1998 on gene technology activities. Additionally, there are several regulations for its implementation, all of which are in line with the European Community legislation. The above Act applies to the genetic modification of natural organisms and the contained use, deliberate release into the environment, commercialization, import, export and transportation of genetically modified organisms and products thereof.

All of the guidelines of the EC on risk assessment and risk management are applicable in Hungary.
Annex I. of the Joint Decree of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Economy and Transport No. 142/2004. (IX.30) on certain rules of the gene technology activity in the field of agriculture and industry contains the principles of environmental risk assessment.