|
|
Second Meeting of the Conference of the Parties
serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety
30 May - 3 June 2005, Montreal,
Canada
|
|
|
|
Earth Negotiations Bulletin - ENB
|
|
Click on the above days to view previous ENB Web coverage.
|
|
|
Highlights
for Wednesday, 1 June 2005
|
|
|
Delegates to the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) serving as the meeting of the
Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP/MOP-2) convened in
plenary and two working group sessions. A morning plenary considered
conference room papers (CRPs) on cooperation with other organizations,
and liability and redress. Working Group I (WG-I) discussed CRPs on: the
Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH); risk assessment and risk management;
handling, transport, packaging and identification (HTPI); and other scientific
and technical issues. Working Group II (WG-II) considered CRPs on:
notification; capacity building, including the roster of experts; and
public awareness and participation. A contact group discussed
documentation for living modified organisms for food, feed or processing
(LMO-FFPs).
Above photo L-R: Hamdallah Zedan, Executive Secretary, Sothinathan
Sinna Goundar, COP/MOP-2 President, and Cyrie
Shendashonga (CBD).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COP/MOP-2 President Sothinathan Sinna
Goundar (left), Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and
Environment of Malaysia, opened the meeting and noted that the rules of
procedure of the Compliance Committee would be referred to a Friends of
the Chair group. WG-I Chair Birthe Ivars (Norway) (center) and WG-II
Chair Orlando Santos (Cuba)(right) reported on progress in their
respective working groups.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On cooperation
with other organizations, conventions and initiatives, CHILE added a reference to the International Animal Health
Organization. Above photo: Pablo Romero (Chile)
|
The Netherlands, on behalf of the EU and
BULGARIA, proposed encouraging the development of a memorandum of
understanding with the Aarhus Convention.
Above
photo: Yvo de Boer (The Netherlands)
|
|
|
|
|
WORKING
GROUP I
|
|
BIOSAFETY CLEARING HOUSE:
|
|
|
|
|
|
Above photos L-R: The WG-I dais with Chair Ivars,
Kirsty Galloway Mclean (CBD) and Ryan Hill (CBD); MEXICO
and the EU debated reference to countries that are centres of origin.
|
|
|
|
RISK ASSESSMENT AND RISK MANAGEMENT:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JAPAN asked to examine
the AHTEG terms of reference provided by the EU, concerned they may
influence discussions on a permanent subsidiary body.
Above photo: Mitsuhiko Shinomiya (Japan)
|
The BAHAMAS
supported an EU proposal to convene an ad hoc technical expert group
(AHTEG) on risk assessment prior to COP/MOP-3.
Above photo: N.M. Selim (The Bahamas)
|
|
|
|
|
|
WORKING
GROUP II
|
|
NOTIFICATION:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ARGENTINA noted that language on notification
regarding transit contradicts the AIA procedure, which does not apply
to LMOs in transit. Above photo: Jorge Riaboi (Argentina)
|
WG-II Chair Santos
(center) presented a revised CRP on options for implementing Article 8
(Notification), including bracketed language on the rights of a Party
of transit.
|
|
|
|
|
CAPACITY
BUILDING:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On capacity-building
needs and priorities and measures to address them, ZAMBIA called for
assistance to conduct independent research.
Above photo: Mwananyanda Mbikusita Lewanika
|
ALGERIA emphasized assistance in policy formulation and regulation
development. Above photo: Kouri Fateh (Algeria)
|
|
|
|
PUBLIC
AWARENESS AND PARTICIPATION:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Regarding an
invitation to Parties to explore and maximize cooperation with the
Aarhus Convention, BRAZIL, suggested inviting cooperation through the
frameworks provided by related national and international instruments,
in particular the Aarhus Convention. Above photo: Hadil Fontes Da
Rocha Vianna (Brazil) with Brazilian delegates.
|
SOUTH AFRICA
suggested reminding Parties to inform the BCH about public awareness
programmes.
|
|
|
|
|
CONTACT
GROUP:
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the evening, the contact group resumed deliberations based on a
proposal to clearly state that the shipment contains LMOs, and, when
the shipment contains a mixture of LMO-FFPs, clearly state that the
shipment contains LMOs that may include one or more of a list of LMOs.
Delegates agreed on ensuring the use of a commercial invoice, or an
annex to a commercial invoice, or a stand-alone document, or other
document required or utilized by existing documentation systems, or
documentation as required by domestic regulatory frameworks. Delegates
continued negotiating until midnight.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Above photos
L-R: Participants listening intently to the contact group discussions;
Contact Group Co-Chairs Khansari (Iran) and Pythoud
(Switzerland)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This service was prepared in
cooperation with the CBD Secretariat
|
