In January 2000, the Parties to the United Nations (UN) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a treaty that arose out of the 1992 Earth Summit  in Rio de Janeiro, adopted the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety -- also known as the Biosafety Protocol (BSP) -- which entered into force on Sept. 11, 2003. 

The BSP is an international environmental agreement that regulates the transboundary movements of living modified organisms (LMOs).  LMOs are viable products of agricultural biotechnology such as seed, which increases the yield of and provide protection for crops like corn and soybeans and other staples for food, feed, fibre and fuel, and grain.

The BSP includes provisions that provide guidance to its "Parties," which are countries that have ratified the BSP, so that the Parties can make informed decisions about the import, transfer, handling, and the domestic use of LMOs.  The BSP has also established the Biosafety Clearing-House, an online resource for information on LMOs.  This resource includes scientific, technical, environmental, legal, capacity-building, and product authorisation information.

Click here to view a summary of the plant science industry's views on BSP implementation issues.