The following provides an overview of the Global Industry Coalition views on documentation requirements for living modified organisms intended for food, feed and further processing under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the discussions on this issue that will take place at the fifth meeting of the Parties to the Protocol that will take place at the fifth meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (Nagoya, Japan from 11-15 October 2010).
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| The Global Industry Coalition (GIC)* supports a draft decision at MOP-5 that refers gaps in the area of standards for handling, transport, packaging and identification of LMOs to other expert international bodies working in this area, as well as efforts by the Executive Secretary to collaborate with such relevant international bodies to ensure that information on existing rules and standards in this area are available to the Parties via the Biosafety Clearing-House. The goal must remain directed toward information-sharing with these other relevant international bodies rather than on developing any new rules or standards under Article 18.3 of the Biosafety Protocol. |
A. Background and Experience to Date
At the Conference of the Parties serving as the fourth meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, Parties agreed to a decision that requested the Executive Secretary organize an online conference to: (i) identify the relevant standards with regard to handling, transport, packaging and identification of living modified organisms (LMOs); (ii) identify where gaps exist; and (iii) suggest possible modalities to fill the gaps. An online forum did occur and Parties will consider a draft decision on this issue at their fifth meeting (MOP-5) that is based on the recommendations from this forum. Given the questions asked and comments made during the forum, the GIC concludes that most participants had little experience in the area of handling, transport, packaging and identification of biological material.
B. GIC Views on the Elements of the MOP-5 Draft Decision
The GIC supports the following points proposed by the MOP-5 draft decision:
- Standards for Handling, Transport, Packaging and Identification of LMOs:
- Requesting or inviting, as appropriate, Parties, other Governments and relevant international organizations to:
- Direct any gaps identified to those organizations already addressing transport, handling, packaging and identification for their consideration and appropriate action;
- Make available to the Biosafety Clearing-House information on methods for the detection and identification of living modified organisms;
- Requesting the Executive Secretary to:
- Continue following developments in standards related to the handling, transport, packaging and identification of living modified organisms and to report to the Parties at their sixth meeting on any such developments. The report should include information on developments in standard-setting on the sampling and detection of living modified organisms.
- Inviting standard-setting bodies to form an electronic communications group with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity to exchange information on activities relevant to the handling, transport, packaging and identification of living modified organisms being undertaken in each forum.
With respect to the ad hoc technical expert group (AHTEG), the GIC suggests that resources on this issue should more appropriately be directed to efforts to organize information on existing standards and summarizing the work of other relevant international standard-setting bodies, and making this information available on the BCH. However, should the Parties agree to form an AHTEG on this issue, the GIC is of the view that it should:
- remain focused on the goal of information-exchange and cooperation with the many other relevant organizations working in the area of standards for handling, transport, packaging and identification of LMOs, rather than focus on the elaboration of new standards;
- include credentialed experts issue from Parties and international standard-setting bodies; and
- include qualified experts as observers from other governments and the private sector who have direct experience in handling, transport, packaging and identification of LMOs.
The goal in further discussions by the Parties under Article 18.3 should be to ensure awareness of existing requirements under other international agreements and organizations and to further create synergies and avoid duplication of efforts.
- Methods for Detection and Identification of LMOs
Additionally, the MOP-5 draft decision proposes that information on methods for detection and identification of LMOs be made available to Parties via the BCH, and requests the Executive Secretary organize regional workshops for heads of laboratories for the detection of LMOs to exchange information and experience on the implementation of detection standards and methods.
To support the goal of information-sharing on detection standards and methods, the GIC highlights efforts by the private sector to make their methods available in a public forum. In late 2010, CropLife International is launching a new website that will make its members’ detection methods for products on the market and information about associated reference materials available in a centralized, online, user-friendly, resource. This website will be accessible through the CropLife International website www.croplife.org.
Additionally, with the goal of creating synergies and avoiding duplication of efforts, the GIC recommends that Parties support participation in the Global Conference on GMO Analysis, rather than organize regional workshops on the same issue under the Biosafety Protocol. This Conference, which occurs next from 20-24 June 2011 and is an initiative of the European Network of GMO Laboratories and the European Commission Joint Research Centre., is focused on sampling and detection of LMOs, and specifically addresses harmonization and standardization of approaches in this area. Over 600 participants from over 70 countries attended the last Global Conference on GMO Analysis, where the GMO detection community had a global platform for scientific exchange and the chance to encourage collaboration between laboratories from all over the world.
* The Global Industry Coalition (GIC) for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety receives input and direction from trade associations representing thousands of companies from all over the world. Participants include associations representing and companies engaged in a variety of industrial sectors such as plant science, seeds, agricultural biotechnology, food production, animal agriculture, human and animal health care, and the environment.