EuropaBio also shows some interesting calculations for the GM acreage in Europe and the EU. In their comparison between 2008 and 2007 they simply excluded France. France had grown some Bt maize but that got banned in 2008. In most peoples eyes that would be a decrease in acreage. Not so for EuropaBio. At the other hand however, they have no problem of including 3000 hectare of Bt maize cultivation in Poland, even though here the cultivaton is done illegally. Another country, that leads to creative counting is Romania. Until 2007, the country was growing GM soy but the cultivation stopped when the Romania entered the EU. So for Europe as a whole, the cultivation stop in 2007 clearly brought a huge reduction in acreage. Where EuropaBio claims an increase of in the EU of 21% from 2007 to 2008, Foe comes up with very different figures.
"What the figures really say: 35% decrease in Europe over 4 years, 2% decrease in 2008 for the EU." and in total: GM crops (or specifically MON810 maize) are only grown on 0.21% of the agricultural land in the EU.
For more details: please read the FoE report