December 8, 2003 (Monday)
- The European Commission refuse to approve a controversial genetically modified sweet corn, thus de facto refusing to lift the moratorium on GMOs. See also Trade war over genetically modified food.
- The United States Congress passes the Can Spam Act of 2003. [1]
- King Harald V of Norway successfully undergoes a 5½-hour cancer operation in which his bladder is removed and a new one constructed, at Rikshospitalet University Hospital in Oslo. [2]
- German Justice Minister Brigitte Zypries unveils a draft bill aimed at policing company accounts following the Enron and WorldCom scandals in the USA. [3][permanent dead link]
- South Dakota Congressman Bill Janklow is convicted of a series of criminal charges including second-degree manslaughter, which can carry a prison term of up to 10 years. He says he will resign his congressional seat. [4][permanent dead link]
- The new Conservative Party of Canada, resulting from the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, is officially registered with Elections Canada. The party's first interim leader is John Lynch-Staunton, with a leadership race scheduled for March 2004. [5]
- In San Juan, Puerto Rico, four men are killed and a woman critically injured during a massacre in a discotheque. It is the largest massacre in Puerto Rico since 1988. [6] (in Spanish)
- British musician Ozzy Osbourne is seriously injured in an ATV accident. [7]
- 750,000 people crowd the streets of London to see the victory parade of the England rugby team following their victory in the Rugby Union World Cup. [8]
- Rubén González, the successful Cuban pianist, dies at home in Havana, at the age of 84. [9]
- Greek electronic game ban: The Greek government in an attempt to fight illegal gambling passes an old decision (1107414/1491/T. & E. F.) regarding the 3037/2002 law.