What has been done on monitoring and reporting

In its decision BS-I/9, the COP-MOP adopted a reporting format and requested Parties to submit reports every four years, but in the initial four-year period to submit an interim report two years after entry into force of the Protocol, i.e. by 11 September 2005.

At its third meeting, the COP-MOP adopted, after considering the analysis of the interim reports that were submitted to the Parties, in decision BS-III/14, a reporting format for the first regular national report on implementation of the Protocol and outlined a schedule and the process for the preparation and synthesis of the reports for consideration at the fourth COP-MOP meeting.

At its fourth meeting, the COP-MOP considered an analysis of first national reports prepared by the Secretariat. In its decision BS-IV/14, it requested the Secretariat to repeat the analysis of the first national reports submitted after the deadline and make the analysis available through the BCH. It also requested the Secretariat to propose improvements to the reporting format from experiences of the first national reports, the recommendations of the Compliance Committee and suggestions made by Parties, for consideration at COP-MOP 5. In addition, urged the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to make financial resources available to improve capacity-building in preparing their national report.

At its fifth meeting, the COP-MOP in decision BS-V/14 welcomed the reporting format for the national report on the implementation of the Protocol proposed by the Secretariat and requested Parties to use it for the preparation of their second national reports, through consultative processes involving all relevant stakeholders. It also encouraged Parties to respond to all questions in the reporting format in order to facilitate the establishment of baselines for subsequent assessment and review of the effectiveness of the Protocol. Parties that encounter difficulty in completing and submitting their national report on time were encouraged to seek assistance from the Secretariat or the Compliance Committee, and/or make use of the roster of biosafety experts. The GEF was also requested to make financial resources available to eligible Parties for the preparation of their second national reports. Furthermore, COP-MOP requested the Secretariat to organize an online forum and/or regional or subregional workshops on national reporting to assist Parties in the preparation of their national reports and exchange best practices and experience on the fulfilment of the monitoring and reporting obligations under the Protocol.

At its sixth meeting, COP-MOP, welcomed, in its decision BS-VI/14, the high rate of submission of second national reports. It urged those Parties that have not submitted their national report, to do so at the earliest opportunity. It encouraged Parties to facilitate the preparation and submission of their national reports by using, as appropriate technical and other resources available in existing bilateral, sub-regional and regional arrangements, and the roster of biosafety experts. COP-MOP also reminded Parties of paragraph 2 of decision BS-V/14, which requests Parties submitting their national report for the first time to use the reporting format for the second national report.

COP-MOP 6 requested the Secretariat to assist Parties in making information that is missing from their report available through the Biosafety Clearing-House. It also requested the Secretariat to update the reporting format and submit a revised one to the seventh meeting of the Parties taking into account the experience gained in analyzing the second national reports, the recommendations of the Compliance Committee and the feedback received from Parties.