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GM Crops are the Future: Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

CGN-89564-2 is another name of Flavr Savr TM tomato, the first genetically modified (GM) crop which was granted a license by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration (FDA) for human consumption in 1992. Subsequently, there has been a global rapid acceptance of GM crops to fulfil the ever rising demand for food and fodder. It is very important that the biotechnology must be developed with appropriate safety measures as it has great potential to improve human well-being. Taking into account the safety of biological diversity, Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety was adopted on 29 January 2000 in Montreal, Canada as a supplementary agreement under the United Nations Convention of BiologicalDiversity (UNCBD) and entered into force on 11 September 2003.  (There is one more supplementary agreement under UNCBD that is the Nagoya Protocol on Access andBenefit-Sharing.) It was named in honour of Cartagena, Colombia, where negotiations were anticipated to accomplish in February 1999.  It is a legally binding global treaty that commits to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have opposing effects on biodiversity, also considering the risks to human health.


Objective

Article 1 of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, contains the core objective of the protocol that is to “contribute to ensure an adequate level of protection in the field of safe transfer, handling and use of the living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking also into account the risks to human health, and specifically focusing on transboundary movements”

Scope of the Protocol

The Protocol applies to the “transboundary movement, transit, handling and use of all living modified organisms that may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity, taking into account risks to human health”.

But it does not apply on the products derived from the living modified organisms and the transboundary movement of LMOs which are pharmaceuticals for humans that are addressed by other relevant international agreements or organisations.

Main features of the Protocol

v  It establishes an Advanced Informed Agreement (AIA) procedure that requires exporters to seek prior approval from the party of import for the first intentional transboundary movement of LMOs meant to introduce into their environment.


v   An internet-based “Biosafety Clearing-House” is established to help countries exchange scientific, technical, environmental and legal information about LMOs and assist parties to implement protocol.

v  The protocol entails that decisions on proposed import should be based on risk assessment, which must be undertaken in a scientific manner.

v  The Protocol promotes international cooperation to help developing countries acquire resources and capacity to use biotechnology safely and regulate it proficiently.

v  Member governments must obligate themselves to promoting public awareness, insuring public access to information, and public consultation. 

 

Conference of Parties (COP/MOP)

Currently, there are 172 parties to the convention which meets every two year to discuss the implementation of the protocol’s provisions. These meetings are called Conference of Parties or Meetings of Parties (MOP).

Conclusion

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety has been proved as an important step to provide a global regulatory framework that create an enabling environment for the safe and sound application of biotechnology without having opposing effects to the environment and to human health.

 

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