Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety goes into effect

Food & Drink Weekly, Sept 15, 2003

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, which is designed to protect biological diversity and human health from the potential risks arising from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) by providing a clear legal framework for their cross-border movement, went into force on September 11. The Member Governments of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Protocol in January 2000. 103 Parties have signed the Cartagena Protocol and 57 have ratified it. The Advanced Informed Agreement (AIA) procedure established by the Protocol is aimed at ensuring that countries can make informed decisions on whether to import GMOs intended for introduction into the environment. Shipments of GMO commodities will have to fulfill specific documentation requirements.

"The Cartagena Protocol establishes one set of basic international rules for dealing with GMOs. It is a fundamental step towards better global governance in the GMO field. This is badly needed to maximize the benefits deriving from biotechnology and minimize the risks for the environment and human health. It will contribute to increasing public confidence in the safe management of GMOs. This Protocol will particularly help developing countries, which often lack the resources to assess the risks of biotechnology and make informed choices about it," said EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom. "We call on more countries to ratify and implement the Cartagena Protocol and we urge those who are not in a position to ratify to contribute to the achievement of its objectives on a voluntary basis," Wallstrom added.