www.checkbiotech.org ; www.raupp.info ; www.czu.cz

The Third meeting of the 132 Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
(MOP3) was concluded on 17 March in Curitiba, Brazil. It adopted a landmark
decision on detailed documentation requirements for genetically modified
organisms in the international trade of agricultural commodities, March
2006.

In the final hours of negotiations, trade implications of documentation
requirements were the main focus of major players such as Mexico and Brazil.
The final compromise would have not been possible without the political
commitment of the Brazilian government to make MOP3 a success.The European
Commission negotiated on behalf of the EU and played an important role in
brokering the final compromise.

Environment Commissioner Dimas stated: "This decision sets out documentation
requirements that are clear, meaningful and practical for both exporters and
importers of agricultural products, while being consistent with EU law. It
provides for legal certainty for the international trade in agricultural
commodities. As such, it is a landmark decision that bolsters the role of
the Cartagena Protocol.I would like to express my deep appreciation to the
Brazilian government that has been instrumental to achieve this outcome."

In addition to the documentation requirements, MOP3 took decisions on a
range of other issues that will enhance the effective implementation of the
Protocol, including:
biosafety capacity-building activities in developing countries, risk
assessment for GMOs, the operation of the web-based information exchange
portal established by the Protocol, the so called Biosafety Clearing House.

Background

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is the only international treaty
governing the cross-border transport of genetically modified organisms. The
Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the 1992 Convention on Biological
Biodiversity. The rules set out in the Protocol are intended to promote the
conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and protect the
public from the potentially harmful effects of GMOs. The Protocol entered
into force on 11 September 2003 and currently has 132 Parties, including all
Member States and the European Community.

The Cartagena Protocol is incorporated into EU legislation through a wide
range of laws. The cornerstone of this legal framework is Directive
2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically
modified organisms. It is supplemented by a Regulation on the transboundary
movements of GMOs, which was adopted in 2003.

[europa.eu.int]

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