PRRI MOP5 Opening Statement

Mr. Chairman,

I speak on behalf of the Public Research and Regulation Initiative, also known as PRRI.

PRRI is an organisation of public sector scientists who are involved in research and development of modern biotechnology for the public good.

Mr. Chairman,

I speak on behalf of the Public Research and Regulation Initiative, also known as PRRI.

PRRI is an organisation of public sector scientists who are involved in research and development of modern biotechnology for the public good.

Mr Chairman, the Cartagena Protocol is an important instrument, because it can contribute to international sharing of the benefits of modern biotechnology, to which Parties have agreed in article 19 of the Convention on Biodiversity. This same article 19 is the legal basis of the Cartagena Protocol.

The main function of the Protocol is to provide countries that do not yet have domestic biosafety regulations, with a mechanism for informed decision making on the import of LMOs, the so called “AIA procedure”. This AIA procedure allows these countries to participate in the benefits of modern biotechnology, such as pest and stress-resistant crops, and crops with improved nutrition. PRRI invites you all to a side event today at 1 pm in which we will present examples of how GM crops can contribute to Integrated Pest Management practices, which is key to sustainable agriculture and environmental protection.

PRRI acknowledges the need for assessment of the safety of the products of modern biotechnology. However, Mr. Chairman, having attended all the Meetings of the Parties since MOP2, PRRI has observed that as the negotiating process evolved, article 19 of the Conventions seems no longer the guiding principle. Indeed, sharing of benefits of modern biotechnology has only been made more difficult, particularly for public research.

In addition, Mr. Chairman, the negotiating process seems to be unaware of the significant experience that has accumulated with GM crops. Over the last 15 years GM crops have been planted over a billion hectares by tens of millions of farmers in the developing and developed world. These crops have been grown in numerous different environments, and they have been consumed in billions of meals. The substantial scientific evidence accumulated shows that many of the anticipated agricultural and environmental benefits have been realised, and that there are no verifiable reports of any adverse effect to environment or human health.

Despite the extensive knowledge and experience gained, the development of new GM crop varieties with additional benefits for the environment or consumers is increasingly curtailed by regulatory requirements that have no scientific grounds.

Mr Chairman, as the Parties will discuss in this MOP the functioning of the Protocol, PRRI urges the negotiating Parties to constantly assess how the implementation of the Protocol will affect crucially important public research and development, to ensure that the Protocol will indeed contribute to sharing the benefits of this technology.

As always, PRRI stands ready to assist the negotiating Parties in this task. We are here with many public sector scientists from all over the world, who are ready to answer your questions.

Thank you Mr. Chairman

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