Options for implementation of Article 8
The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
Recalling Article 8 of the Protocol,
Recalling also decision BS-I/12 on the medium-term programme of work which requires,
at the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting
of the Parties to the Convention, consideration of options for implementation
of Article 8 with respect to requirements by a Party of export to ensure notification
and the accuracy of information contained in notification by the exporter,
Recognizing the need to provide guidance to Parties on implementing notification
requirements spelled out in Article 8 of the Protocol,
Noting
that, pursuant to decision
BS-I/9 on monitoring and reporting, Parties are requested to submit interim
national reports on implementation of the Protocol no later than 11 September
2005 in which more information on national implementation of the advanced
informed agreement procedure will become available,
Recalling also Articles 6 and 7 of the Protocol,
1. Decides to keep the
item on notification referred to in decision BS-I/12 under review with a view
to elaborating and developing, if appropriate, at its fourth meeting, modalities
of implementation with respect to notification requirements under Article
8 of the Protocol, taking into account the information on national implementation
and experiences on this matter gathered through interim national reports and
the Biosafety Clearing-House;
2. Recommends to Parties
to the Protocol to consider elements and options relevant to Article 8 of
the Protocol, as well as the following elements, pending development of modalities
referred to in paragraph 1 above:
(a) Applying necessary measures
to enforce the notification requirements;
(b) Requiring the exporter to use
the language as determined by the Party of import in the notification;
(c) Acknowledging the right of
a Party of transit to regulate the transport of living modified organisms
through its territory, including requiring communication in writing to the
competent national authority of the Party of transit if so required by the
regulations of that Party of transit.
