Risk assessment and risk management
The Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the
Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
Noting the review of existing guidance materials
relevant to risk assessment and risk management
(UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/2/9), prepared by the Executive Secretary for
the second meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the
meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety,
Recalling its decision to consider, at its second
meeting, the development of guidance and a framework for a common
approach in risk assessment and risk management (decision BS-I/12,
annex, paragraph 4 (b)), and noting that there are various
approaches for guidance on risk assessment and risk management, as
reflected in paragraph 8 of review of existing guidance materials
(UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/2/9),
Acknowledging that any guidance on risk assessment and
risk management developed by the Conference of the Parties serving
as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol should support a
harmonized approach, in accordance with annex III of the Protocol,
taking into account internationally agreed principles and
techniques developed by relevant international organizations and
bodies,
Recalling that risk assessment and other scientific and
technical expertise, and risk management, have been identified as
key elements requiring concrete action under the Action Plan for
Building Capacities for the Effective Implementation of the
Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (decision BS-I/5, annex I,
paragraph 3),
Recalling also its decision I/9, adopted at its first
meeting, requesting Parties to submit interim national reports on
implementation of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety two years
after the entry into force of the Protocol, and noting
that the format for reporting includes a section on risk assessment
and risk management,
1. Requests the Executive Secretary to include the
materials listed in the annex of the review of existing guidance
materials (UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/2/9) in the Biosafety Information
Resource Centre on the Biosafety Clearing-House, and
encourages Parties, other Governments and relevant
organizations to contribute further to the Biosafety Information
Resource Centre on the Biosafety Clearing-House, by registering
additional guidance materials and other scientific and technical
information;
2. Requests the Executive Secretary to convene, prior
to the fourth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as
the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol, and subject to the
necessary financial resources being made available, regional
workshops on capacity-building and exchange of experiences on risk
assessment and risk management of living modified organisms, taking
into account the results of the meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical
Expert Group on Risk Assessment referred to in paragraph 4 below,
and also taking into account experience and expertise in the
context of relevant international agreements and bodies;
3. Reminds Parties to submit their interim reports on
implementation of the Protocol by 11 September 2005, in accordance
with decision BS-I/9, and encourages Parties to include,
in accordance with the section of the reporting format related to
risk assessment and risk management, information on experiences and
progress in implementing Articles 15 and 16, including any
obstacles or impediments encountered;
4. Decides to establish an Ad Hoc Technical Expert
Group on Risk Assessment, according to the specific terms of
reference annexed to the present decision, and welcomes
the generous offer of the Government of Italy to provide the
necessary financial support for a meeting of the Group prior to the
third meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the
meeting of the Parties to the Protocol;
5. Requests the Executive Secretary to compile the
information on risk assessment and risk management submitted by
Parties in their interim national reports, for inclusion in a
synthesis report for consideration by the Ad Hoc Technical Expert
Group referred to in paragraph 4 above;
6. Requests the Executive Secretary to prepare for the
third meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the
meeting of the Parties to the Protocol, a pre-sessional paper
regarding risk assessment and risk management that synthesizes:
(a) The findings of the meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert
Group on Risk Assessment referred to in paragraph 4 above;
(b) Information on experiences and progress in implementing
Articles 15 and 16 received in the interim national reports under
the Protocol, noting that this information will be reviewed in a
synthesis report prepared in advance of the meeting of the Ad Hoc
Technical Expert Group on Risk Assessment;
(c) The submissions on risk assessment and risk management
received from Parties, other Governments and international
organizations (UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/2/INF/2), as well as the
synthesis of views and compilation of guidance materials
(UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/2/9).
Annex
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE AD
HOC TECHNICAL EXPERT GROUP ON RISK ASSESSMENT
1. The Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group shall:
(a) Include experts from relevant international organizations
and bodies as observers;
(b) Consider the nature and scope of existing approaches to risk
assessment based on national experiences and existing guidance
materials;
(c) Evaluate the relevance of existing approaches and guidance
materials to risk assessment under the Protocol, and identify gaps
in those existing approaches and guidance materials;
(d) Identify specific areas where limitations in capacity may be
an impediment to effective implementation of the risk assessment
provisions of the Protocol at national level, and where
capacity-building activities may be particularly important,
(e) Submit a report for consideration by the third meeting of
the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties
to the Protocol.
2. The deliberations of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group shall
be based primarily on:
(a) Information provided in the interim national reports
referred to in paragraphs 3 and 5 of this decision;
(b) Guidance materials listed in the annex to the review of
existing guidance material relevant to risk assessment and risk
management (UNEP/CBD/BS/COP-MOP/2/9);
(c) Any other relevant materials made available by the
Secretariat.
