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Sunday
10 December 2000
 The
first Meeting of the Open-ended Ad
Hoc Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety (ICCP) opens tomorrow in Montpellier, France. The ICCP was
established by the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) upon adoption of the Cartagena Protocol, to
prepare for the first Meeting of the Parties to the Protocol. Under the
chairmanship of Amb. Philémon Yang (Cameroon), delegates will review
inter-sessional work by the CBD's Executive Secretary and consider
agenda items on: information-sharing; capacity building; decision-making
procedures; handling, transport, packaging and identification; and
compliance. The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety addresses the safe
transfer, handling and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) that may
have an adverse effect on biodiversity, taking also into account human
health, and with a specific focus on transboundary movements. The Protocol
establishes an advance informed agreement (AIA) procedure for imports of
LMOs for intentional introduction into the environment. It also
incorporates the precautionary principle and mechanisms for risk
assessment and risk management. The Protocol also establishes a Biosafety
Clearing-House (BCH) to facilitate information exchange and contains
provisions on capacity building and financial resources with special
attention to developing countries and those without domestic regulatory
systems. Currently, 79 countries have signed the Protocol and to date,
Bulgaria and Trinidad and Tobago are the only countries to have ratified
or acceded to the Protocol.
 Plenary
will convene Monday 11 December 2000 at 10:00 am in the Berlioz Opera
Hall, where delegates will hear opening remarks from: ICCP Chair, Amb.
Philémon Yang; the Mayor of Montpellier, Georges Freche; the Minister of
Environment of France, Dominique Voynet; UNEP Executive Director, Klaus Töpfer
or his representative; and CBD Executive Secretary, Hamdallah Zedan.
Relevant Information:
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