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Closing Plenary
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(left
to right) Hamdallah Zedan, CBD Executive Secretary, Philémon Yang, ICCP Chair; and Cyrie Sendashonga, CBD Secretary.
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In opening the final Plenary on Friday, 15 December, ICCP1 Chair
Philémon Yang thanked delegates for the work done, and introduced
the agenda items on: future work of the ICCP; date and venue for
ICCP-2; other matters; and adoption of the report. The Plenary
adopted the agenda for ICCP-2, as contained in document
UNEP/CBD/ICCP/1/8. Issues to be discussed include:
liability and redress;
monitoring and reporting;
Secretariat;
guidance to the financial mechanism;
rules of procedure for the MOP;
consideration of other issues for implementation;
elaboration of a draft provisional agenda for the MOP; and
items for continued consideration from ICCP-1.
Working Groups
The two working groups met over the course of four days from 11-14
December 2000. WG-I formed a contact group to assist in
deliberations on a pilot phase for the BCH. WG-II formed a contact
group on capacity building and the roster of experts, and an
informal working group on decision-making procedures and
compliance. A brief Plenary was held on Wednesday, 13 December, to
review the working groups' progress. For each substantive item,
the working groups developed a Chair's summary of the discussions
to be attached to the final report of the meeting, for further
consideration by ICCP-2, as well as recommendations for intersessional activities to be held prior to ICCP-2. The final Plenary
met on the morning of Friday 15 December, to adopt the working
group's reports and to consider additional administrative matters.
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Francois Pythod,
Chair Working Group I, Switzerland, presents the draft of Working Group I's report.
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Working Group I
Francois Pythoud, Switzerland, Chair Working Group I (left, seated centre), introduced WG I's report (UNEP/CBD/ICCP/1/L.3 and Add.1) dealing with two items, 4.1 (information sharing) and 4.4 (handling, transportation, packaging and identification). The working group recommended that the pilot phase of the BCH should be implemented as soon as possible, and that it should be implemented with recommendations on administrative issues, oversight and management, technical monitoring and review, languges, resources necessary and project plan. Item 4.4 on handling, transportation and packaging activities require submission, identification standards, rules of Article 18 and the ICCP-2. Chair Pythoud then introduced the Chair's report containing summaries of the discussions (UNEP/CBD/ICCP/1/L.3/Add.2).
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Mohammad Reza Salamat,
Iran, Chair Working Group II, delivers the report of Working Group II with minor ammendments.
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Working Group II
Mohammad Reza Salamat, Iran, Chair Working Group II (right) presented WGII's report (UNEP/CBD/ICCP/1/L.4 and Add.1) dealing with items 4.2 (Capacity Building), 4.3 (Decision-making Procedures), and 4.5 (Compliance).4.2 (Capacity Building). The reports were submitted by the Chair with minor typographical corrections, but nevertheless was achieved with consensus adoption of the report. Chair Salamat
then introduced the report (UNEP/CBD/ICCP/1/L.4/Add.2) containing the Chair's summaries of the
discussions.
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Remarks from the Plenary
![](/biodiv/iccp1/pix/15p_france_ECs.jpg) |
Representatives of the European Community (left) and France (right) articulate their support for the ICCP plans. |
The European Community (seated left) highlighted the meeting's "Montpellier Spirit" and
expressed hope that future discussions would continue in such a
congenial and constructive manner.
France (seated right), proud host to ICCP-1, thanked all delegates for good work and congenial spirit at Montpellier.
![](/biodiv/iccp1/pix/15p_industrys.jpg) |
Global Industry Coalition represented the views of industry at the close of ICCP1. |
The Global Industry Coalition (right) highlighted capacity building as a
key priority for the private sector and its experience regarding
the BCH structure. He also called for including the private sector
in the roster of experts.
![](/biodiv/iccp1/pix/15p_NGOs.jpg) |
Phil Bereano, Council for Responsible Genetics, represented the views of over 100 NGOs at the close of ICCP1. |
Phil Bereano, a representative of NGOs, (above) encouraged a broader scope than the use of the internet in implementing information sharing; urged the ICCP to
work speedily; emphasized the need for programmes to enable civil
society's use of the BCH; noted that the roster of experts should
embody political, geographic and sectoral diversity and include
members of civil society; stressed the role of sanctions in
complying with the Protocol; and called for a moratorium on LMOs,
unless effective systems of traceability and liability are
developed.
Closing Plenary
CBD Executive Secretary Zedan also evoked the "Montpellier Spirit"
of good will and emphasized the need for resources to comply with
the meeting's recommendations in a timely manner. He expressed
gratitude for the offers from Canada, France and the US to support
inter-sessional work. Chair Yang stated that delegates were
leaving Montpellier after planting the seeds for the Protocol's
effective implementation and noted that the issues discussed had
moved the process from the stage of contained use to field trial.
He highlighted the meeting's political message of commitment to
the Protocol and thanked the Working Group Chairs, Bureau,
Secretariat and others for a successful meeting. He officially
closed ICCP-1 at 12:15 pm.
![](/biodiv/iccp1/pix/15p_plenary1s.jpg) |
Closing of ICCP-1. |
The Plenary also agreed that ICCP-2 would meet from 1-5 October
2001, at the seat of the CBD Secretariat in Montreal, Canada.
Looking ahead, ICCP-2 promises to be
hectic, with the start of discussions on liability, and monitoring
and review, as well as continued consideration of ICCP-1's agenda
items. Much will hinge on the productivity of inter-sessional
work, and its success in recognizing and incorporating the
concerns of developed and developing countries in operationalizing
the Protocol. While tensions between the trade and environmental
arenas have lurked in the shadows of numerous international
meetings, ICCP-1 was able to temporarily set those tensions aside
given its focus on ostensibly technical and operational matters.
One delegate noted that the distance in time and space from the
contentious negotiations in Montreal and the opportunity for
reflection have generated a general perception among countries
that the two agreements can be complementary. As delegates closed
ICCP-1, they lauded the congenial atmosphere of the negotiations.
However, the pace of country ratifications and the Protocol's
entry into force will ultimately determine the strength and
enduring nature of the "Montpellier Spirit."
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