Biosafety protocol negotiations continue...
Negotiations to establish a biosafety protocol are still continuing, the Environment Council was told when it met in Luxembourg this October. The protocol is intended to address increasing international concern over the release of living modified organisms (LMOs) into the environment. By reaching an agreement on the subject, the hope is that countries importing LMOs will at least have some level of protection from any risks they may be opened up to. Talks on the biosafety protocol were stalled earlier this year at an extraordinary conference of the parties in Cartagena, Colombia. At that time, the main differences concerned the implications for trade in agricultural commodities for food, feed and processing if covered by the provisions on 'advance informed agreement (AIA) procedure' and the provisions on 'accompanying documentation' as well as the relationship of the protocol with the World Trade Organisation. The Finnish Presidency has now stated its intention to return to these points at the December session in order to prepare for the final round of negotiations, which are scheduled to be held in Montreal from 20 to 28 January 2000.