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OBJECTIVE

The Chair distributed an informal aide-memoire on the aim of the protocol that stated: “The aim/objective of the protocol is to establish international action on biosafety that should offer an efficient and effective framework for the development of international cooperation aimed at ensuring safety in biotechnology through effective risk assessment and management for the transfer, handling and use of any LMO resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse impacts on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking into account the risks to human health and taking also into account Articles 8(g) and 19 of the Convention.” He acknowledged a lack of consensus on the protocol’s objective and requested that delegates temporarily accept the text, which was drawn from the Jakarta Mandate and the Madrid meeting.

CANADA, JAPAN, AUSTRALIA and the EU proposed incorporating language from the Jakarta decisions on the protocol and mentioning that the aim should focus on transboundary movements. AUSTRALIA, supported by the EU, noted that the text only drew from the preamble of the Jakarta Mandate and proposed using language from the body of Decision II/5 (capacity-building). MALAYSIA and INDIA said the language lacked specificity and called for a clearer statement of intent. Delegates decided to revisit the issue at BSWG-3.