Ask an Expert: International Plant Protection Convention

Are standards for identification/documentaion, packaging handling and transport of living modified organisms necessary, in IPPC’s views? If so, what is the most appropriate and suitable modality to develop these standards? Can IPPC undertake this responsibility with respect to environmental protection and the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity?

In answer to these questions, there are a couple of key points that require some explanation: 

First, the scope of the IPPC applies to the protection of plants, including cultivated plants as well as wild flora, from the introduction and spread of pests.  Therefore, the IPPC and its contracting parties play an important role in protecting biodiversity to the extent that protecting plant health (including wild flora) applies to environmental protection and conservation of biodiversity in the broad sense. 

Second, the IPPC is primarily concerned with measures to protect plants from the introduction and spread of regulated pests (quarantine pests and regulated non-quarantine pests).  Quarantine pests are defined as “ a pest of potential economic importance to the area endangered thereby and not yet present there, or present but not widely distributed and being officially controlled.”  This means that a country may put in place measures aimed at preventing the entry of new species which pose a threat to their plant life or health.  Note that the IPPC considers “economic importance” to include environmental damage and in developing international standards for phytosanitary measures (ISPMs), the IPPC takes into account environmental and biodiversity concerns.

With respect to LMOs in particular, the IPPC considers that in cases where LMOs pose a phytosanitary risk, they would fit the definition of a “pest” or “quarantine pest”, and would be subject to pest risk analysis (PRA) and if necessary, they could be regulated as pests.  Note that in some cases, LMOs may not pose a phytosanitary risk (i.e. do not threaten plant life or health) in which case they would not be subject to phytosanitary regulations.  Specific guidance on pest risk analysis for LMOs can be found in ISPM No. 2 (Framework for pest risk analysis) and ISPM No. 11 (Pest risk analysis for quarantine pests, including analysis of environmental risks and living modified organisms)

Thus to answer your question: Are standards for identification/documentation, packaging handling and transport of living modified organisms necessary, in IPPC’s views?

Specific standards for identification/documentation, packaging, handling and transport for LMOs are probably not necessary, since there are already ISPMs that provide specific guidance on identification/documentation, packaging, handling and transport of pests. Where LMOs fit the criteria of “pests” and have the potential to pose a phytosanitary risk, then such ISPMs (current and future) are applicable. 

In addition to the PRA standards identified above, the IPPC has other standards that provide guidance to countries on the types of phytosanitary measures that may be applied to protect against pests with particular regard to packaging, handling and transport.  These include ISPM No. 7 (Export certification system); ISPM No. 20 (Guidelines for a phytosanitary import regulatory system) and ISPM No. 25 (Consignments in transit).

As for additional guidance in the form of standards, the IPPC works closely with international partners, including the CBD, and with countries to identify what new standards need to be developed. If countries agree that additional guidance on identification/documentation, packaging, handling and transport is necessary, the issue can be addressed by the Commission and added to work program if agreed by members.