What is the current status of the genetically modified organisms in the world?

First introduced 15 years ago, the use of genetically modified crops is still limited to a handful of heavily industrialized countries with a strong orientation towards export. Almost 90% of the GM planted area in 2007 is in five countries from South and North America, with 80% in the United States, Argentina and Brazil. Only one country, the United States, grows over 50% of the genetically modified organisms of the world. Less then 3% of the Indian and Chinese arable land is planted with GMOs, mostly with cotton.
The European Union, one of the key markets of the biotechnology industry, remains closed for transgenic crops, public opinion being opposed to transgenic food for over ten years.

Genetically modified plant cultivation in the EU

Only two transgenic crops are authorized for cultivation in the EU, Monsanto's Bt maize, MON810 and the Amflora potato developed by BASF. The maize was genetically modified to produce it’s own toxins against the Ostrinia nubilialis pest and the potato was developed for extra starch content, but also contains a marker gene for antibiotics resistance. 
In 2008, the total of GMO cultivated areas fell in the EU due to the ban of Monsantos’ MON810 Bt maize in France (2008) and Germany (2009) because of environmental and health issues. As a result, the total of GMO cultivated areas in the EU decreased by 2%, to 107719 ha. In the 27 countries of the European Union, genetically modified organism cultivation represents 0,21% of the arable land.
Only 6 out of 27 European countries grow MON810 (2 less then in 2007). The 6 countries which grow the MON810 genetically modified maize are: Spain, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Portugal.
Six European countries banned MON810 on environmental and health issues, the most recent being Germany and France, two of the leading agricultural countries of the EU. The six countries which banned the MON810 are: Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary and Poland.

Special cases:

In Poland, the MON810 maize is cultivated against its ban, though the selling of GMO seeds is illegal, Monsanto and the Polish Lobby Association for Biotehnologies offered farmers addresses and contact details of GMO seed suppliers from Slovakia and Czech Republic. It’s supposed that in 2008 in Poland, there were 3000 ha of illegally grown maize.
In Spain there are two types of pests for maize, but the problem is accepted as being a minor one. The governments’ own work group in the field of pesticides reported in 2003 that the incidence of the corn-borer is „low” and „the cultivation of these transgenic varieties is not justified”. (The Ministry of Agriculture, Spain, 2002). Before adopting Bt maize in Spain, insecticide use against the European corn borer was limited to approximatley 5%.

Europe

European countries which are not part of the European Union do not grow GMOs. (For ex. Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Serbia, Montenegro etc.). Switzerland imposed a moratorium regarding genetically modified plants. Countries being in different stages of adherence to EU like: Turkey, Croatia, Macedonia do not grow genetically modified plants.
The industry figures show that the total amount of land grown with GMOs has fallen each year since 2005, with 35% in the last 4 years. This is also due to the adherence of Romania to EU and Romanian GMO cultivation regulations.
(http://www.europabio.org/documents/2008%20Cultivation%20chart.pdf).

In Europe, GM plant cultivation dropped to 107,719 ha in 2008, compared with 110,007 ha in 2007, a 2% drop. (http://www.europeanvoice.com/article/2008/09/drop-in-genetically-modifiedcrops-grown-in-eu/62491.aspx)

Though it’s a small figure, the areas cultivated with GMOs focus in a single country: aproximatly 3 quarters (74%) of the transgenic production is in Spain. (http://www.gmo-compass.org)

Public opinion remains opposed to transgenic food (Eurobarometer) and the governmental opinion in Europe stays divided in the matter of transgenic plant authorization in Europe.
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Relevant European institutions

European Food Safety Authority – EFSA
The main responsibility of this authority, as established in 2002, is to offer scientific consultancy on problems directly or indirectly related to food safety. EFSA conducts risk assessments on the food chain including animal health and living environment and plant health. EFSA coordinates the scientific evaluation of GMOs for the authorizing procedures of new genetically modified organisms on the European market, according to the Food and Feed Regulations. There is an office within the EFSA, the GMO office, especially designated for GMO related activities.

Co-Extra
Co-Extra is a project financed by the European Union with the implications for public and private sectors, scientists and PR agents. The purpose of the project is to introduce genetically modified organisms into European agriculture. It is focused on the co-existence of GMOs with conventional plants, traceability and the marketing of genetically modified organisms. The program's site offers summaries on the situation of each EU country, an events list, legislative news and research programs.

Joint Research Centre – JRC
JRC, through its various institutions serves as a scientific resource for the European Commission. In the name of DG Sanco (General Directorate for Health), JRC offers public information regarding GMOs and validates their identification (testing) methods. The JRC site offers a page dedicated to JRC activities in the GMO field: Genomic and Molecular Unit. Under the coordination of JRC a special website named OMG Info was developed to assure transparency regarding authorization requests for GMO cultivation and marketing in Europe. The European Network of GMO Laboratories also functions under the coordination of the JRC, a network containing over 45 laboratories which develop and validate the testing methods of GMOs and collect necessary reference materials. One important study coordinated by JRC is: A descriptive Analysis on Conventional, Organic and Genetically Modified Crops and the Certification of Production Seeds in the EU – 2008.

DG Environment

DG Environment is the environmental department of the European Commission and it has the responsibility of implementing regulations in the GMO field. The site of the institution offers a section dedicated to Biotechnology – genetically modified organisms.