>2/12. Cooperation between the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the International Plant Protection Convention regarding risk analysis procedures for phytosanitary risks that may be arising from living modified organisms
The Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
Taking note of the report of the Open-ended Working Group of the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures on Specifications for an International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures on Living Modified Organisms, which met in Rome from 12 to 14 September 2001,
Taking note also of the recommendations of the Open-ended Working Group that call upon the International Plant Protection Convention to coordinate its standard-setting process regarding risk analysis procedures for phytosanitary risks that may be arising from living modified organisms with the activities under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, and stress the need for the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures to invite representatives of the Protocol to cooperate on the development of specifications for pest risk analysis for living modified organisms,
Further
taking note of the recommendation to formulate a draft standard providing guidance on the conduct of pest-risk analyses for living modified organisms, consistent with the relevant aspects of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, taking into account annex III to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
Recalling decisions IV/15 and V/21 of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, in which, inter alia, the Executive Secretary is requested to develop relationships with other processes, and to continue to coordinate and cooperate with the secretariats of relevant biodiversity-related conventions, institutions and processes,
1. Welcomes the recommendations of the Open-ended Working Group of the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures on Specifications for an International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures on Living Modified Organisms, in particular to include expertise on the provisions and implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and on the requirement for consistency with the Protocol;
2. Requests the Executive Secretary to continue to maintain close cooperation with the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures of the International Plant Protection Convention as regards the development of standards for plant pest risk analysis involving living modified organisms;
3. Encourages Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity and Governments participating in the International Plant Protection Convention process to include experts on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Convention on Biological Diversity in their delegations to meetings under the International Plant Protection Convention;
4. Urges the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures to ensure that the international standards to be developed for the purpose of phytosanitary measures regarding living modified organisms are in harmony with the objective and all relevant requirements of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.
