Brussels, 22/02/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has just presented a proposal of regulation aimed at transposing into Community law the provisions of the Cartagena Protocol on the prevention of biotechnological risks linked to cross-border movements of live genetically modified organisms (GMOs) likely to have harmful effects on biological diversity. This new proposal aims to complete the existing legislation on biotechnology, mainly with regard to the obligations of GMO exporters and the exchange of information between exporter countries and countries of destination, in order to guarantee that the latter may decide whether to accept imports of GMO onto their territory in full knowledge of the facts (the so-called Advanced Informed Agreement, AIA, procedure). Once adopted, the regulation will not entail any changes to the Community legislation relating to GMOs as it is established that it is conform to the Protocol on Biosafety, stresses the European Commission.
At the same time, the Commission is preparing a proposal of Council decision aimed at making the Community ratify this Protocol, concluded on 29 January 2000, as a corollary instrument to the United Nations Framework Convention on Biological Diversity. The Community and its Member States signed the Protocol on 24 May 2000.