COST Action FP0905: final results

The European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action FP0905 is aimed at evaluating the scientific knowledge of genetically modified (GM) trees related to biosafety protocols and coordinating existing and new information from various European countries [1]. This will help to provide a basis for future EU policy and regulation recommendations regarding the use of GM forest trees. A large, but diverse, body of knowledge on the environmental effects and biosafety issues of transgenic trees and other transgenic organisms has been acquired in many countries over approximately the past 25 years. Because of the potential unification of European states, there is now an urgent need to compile, collate, and analyze this scattered knowledge in order to create a unique platform of knowledge particular to the European environment [1]. The Action started the 12th of April 2010 and ended the 11th of April 2014. In this action, 27 COST countries (Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and United Kingdom) have signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). Seven NON-COST countries (Albania, Australia, Canada, China, New Zealand, South Africa, USA) were participating to the Action. The main objective of the COST Action was to evaluate and substantiate the scientific knowledge relevant for GMT biosafety protocols by putting together already existing information generated in various European and Non-EU countries as basis for future EU policy and regulation for the environmental impact assessment and the safe development and practical use of GMTs.