FORM
6-K
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
Report
of Foreign Issuer
Pursuant
to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16
of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
For
the
month of October 2007
Commission
File Number: 001-15152
SYNGENTA
AG
(Translation
of registrant’s name into English)
Schwarzwaldallee
215
4058
Basel
Switzerland
(Address
of principal executive offices)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under
cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:
|
Form
20-F
|
X
|
Form
40-F
|
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted
by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1):
|
Yes
|
No
|
X
|
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted
by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7):
|
Yes
|
No
|
X
|
Indicate
by check mark whether by furnishing the information contained in this Form,
the
Registrant is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant
to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:
|
Yes
|
No
|
X
|
If
“Yes”
is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): N/A
| Re: | SYNGENTA AG |
| Press Release: |
“Syngenta
to prepare application for new EU registration for
paraquat”
|
Filed
herewith is a press release related to Syngenta AG. The full text of
the press
release follows:
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Item
1
| Syngenta International AG | ||
| Media Office | ||
| CH-4002 Basel | ||
| Switzerland | ||
| Telephone: | +41 61 323 23 23 | |
| Fax: | +41 61 323 24 24 | |
|
www.syngenta.com
|
||
|
Media release
|
|
|
Syngenta
to prepare application for new EU registration for
paraquat
Basel,
Switzerland, October 9, 2007
Following
the European Community Court of First Instance’s (CFI)
decision on July 11, 2007, to annul the EU registration in 2003 of
the herbicide
paraquat, Syngenta announced today that the company, encouraged by
the support
of several Member States, including the Rapporteur Member State,
the United
Kingdom, will prepare to re-apply for a new EU registration. Syngenta
markets
paraquat under the brand name Gramoxone®.
“The
CFI decision
related to the way in which the re-registration procedure was handled
and to the
manner in which the Commission interpreted the relevant laws and
applied them to
its analysis of the data”, said John Atkin, Chief Operating Officer Syngenta
Crop Protection. “At no stage did the CFI find that paraquat was an inherently
unsafe or dangerous product. Moreover, the Commission’s original decision in
2003 to register paraquat at EU level followed a detailed and comprehensive
scientific review.”
Due
to major changes
in regulatory requirements since the last application was submitted,
it is
likely to take at least two years before a new application can be
made. Syngenta
will be responding during this time to any further changes in regulatory
conditions or requirements.
In
Europe, farmers
have benefited from using paraquat because of its unique qualities,
which
include fast contact action and rapid deactivation in the soil. Paraquat
also
helps combat soil erosion, by preserving weed roots which bind the
soil. It is
widely used in minimum tillage agriculture which is more favorable
for the
absorption of carbon dioxide than traditional cultivation.
Paraquat
improves
people’s lives in developing countries by enabling farmers and their families
to
escape the constant requirement for hand weeding, which is a burden
for millions
of people in subsistence farming and underdeveloped rural
communities.
Syngenta
has
comprehensive data that demonstrate the safety of paraquat for users,
consumers
and the environment. The company is committed to promoting the safe
use of all
its products, including paraquat, through extensive stewardship and
training.
Last year, these programs reached more than 3.4 million farmers
worldwide.
Background
Syngenta
was not
involved in the legal action taken by Sweden against the European
Commission and
was therefore unable to appeal. The judgment led to an unprecedented
legal
situation in which the EU registration of paraquat was annulled.
Following this
annulment, and subsequent advice given by the Commission’s Health and Consumer
Affairs Directorate, some Member States suspended or cancelled their
national
registrations of paraquat products.
Syngenta
–
October
9, 2007 / Page of 1 of 2
Syngenta
is a
world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture through
innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop
protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds
market. Sales in 2006 were approximately $8.1
billion. Syngenta employs around 21,000 people in over
90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange
(SYNN) and in New York (SYT). Further information is available at
www.syngenta.com.
|
Media
Enquiries:
|
Médard
Schoenmaeckers (Switzerland)
|
+41
61 323
2323
|
|
Sarah
Hull
(US)
|
+1
202 628
2372
|
|
|
Analysts/Investors:
|
Jonathan
Seabrook
|
+41
61 323
7502
|
|
+1
202 737
6520
|
||
|
Jennifer
Gough
|
+41
61 323
5059
|
|
|
+1
202 737
6521
|
Cautionary
Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This
document
contains forward-looking statements, which can be identified by terminology
such
as ‘expect’, ‘would’, ‘will’, ‘potential’, ‘plans’, ‘prospects’, ‘estimated’,
‘aiming’, ‘on track’ and similar expressions. Such statements may be subject to
risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ
materially
from these statements. We refer you to Syngenta's publicly available
filings
with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for information about
these and other risks and uncertainties. Syngenta assumes no obligation
to
update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, changed
assumptions
or other factors. This document does not constitute, or form part
of, any offer
or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer,
to purchase or
subscribe for any ordinary shares in Syngenta AG, or Syngenta ADSs,
nor shall it
form the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract
therefor.
Syngenta
–
October
9, 2007 / Page of 2 of 2
SIGNATURES
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.
| SYNGENTA AG | |||
| |
|
|
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| Date: October 9, 2007 | By: | /s/ Christoph Mäder | |
|
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|||
| Name: | Christoph Mäder | ||
|
Title:
|
Head Legal & Taxes | ||