Recalling
decision BS-I/9 which requested Parties to submit their reports on a general frequency of every four years from the date of entry into force of the Protocol,
Taking note of the first national reports, which were due in September 2007,
Recalling also
decision BS-IV/14 which requested the Executive Secretary to propose improvements to the reporting format based on experiences gained through the analysis of the first national reports, the recommendations of the Compliance Committee and suggestions made by Parties, for consideration at the fifth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol,
Taking note of the recommendations of the Compliance Committee concerning national reporting,
1.Welcomes the reporting format annexed hereto
and requests the Executive Secretary to make the final format available through the Biosafety Clearing-House and in Microsoft Word format;
2.Requests Parties to use the reporting format for the preparation of their second national report or, in the case of Parties submitting their national report for the first time, to use it for their first national report on the implementation of their obligations under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety;
3.Requests Parties to submit to the Secretariat their second national report on the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety:
(a)In an official language of the United Nations;
(b)Through the Biosafety Clearing-House, or in the Microsoft Word form that will be made available by the Secretariat for this purpose duly signed by the national focal point;
4.Encourages Parties to respond to all questions in the reporting format including questions that do not necessarily represent obligations under the Protocol but are considered to be useful to gather information that facilitates the establishment of baselines for subsequent assessment and review processes of the effectiveness of the Protocol as well as measuring the achievement of the Strategic Plan adopted at the present meeting;
5.Reiterates its recommendation to Parties to prepare their reports through a consultative process involving all relevant stakeholders, as appropriate;
6.Encourages Parties to give priority, as appropriate, to national reporting when seeking funding from the Global Environment Facility;
7.Encourages Parties that encounter difficulty in the timely completion of their reporting obligations to seek assistance from the Secretariat or the Compliance Committee, and use, as appropriate, national experts and experts from the roster of biosafety experts;
8.Requests the Executive Secretary to:
(a)Consider adjusting the reporting format of the third and subsequent national reports, and make the format available to the appropriate meeting of the Parties to the Protocol, with a view to relating the national reports to the strategic priorities of the Protocol by limiting subsequent reporting to:
(i)Questions that require regular updating; and
(ii)Questions relating to priority areas applicable to the reporting period as indicated in the Strategic Plan and the programme of work and as determined by the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol;
(b)Send confidential reminders to the national focal points of individual Parties that do not submit their national report of their obligation to do so;
(c)Organize an online forum, or, subject to the availability of funds, regional or subregional workshops on national reporting with a view to assist Parties in the preparation of their national reports and exchange best practices and experience on the fulfillment of the monitoring and reporting obligations under the Protocol; and
(d)Take into account, in setting the date of submission of the second national reports in accordance with paragraph 5 of
decision BS-I/9, the time constraint that developing country Parties might face due to limited capacity;
9.Noting that some Parties to the Convention that are not yet Parties to the Protocol have submitted first national reports,
invites non-Parties to share their experiences and information on their biosafety-related regulatory and administrative measures by submitting national reports.
