What has been done on assessment and review

At its tenth meeting, in decision CP-10/7, the COP-MOP recognized the usefulness of the Strategic Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the period 2011-2020 in supporting national implementation. In the decision (based on Recommendation SBI-3/2 adopted by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation), the COP-MOP considered the operational objectives of the Strategic Plan and identified areas where progress has been made as well as areas where further work was needed. The COP-MOP also welcomed the contribution of the Liaison Group and the Compliance Committee under the Cartagena Protocol to the fourth assessment and review of the Cartagena Protocol and the final evaluation of the Strategic Plan for the Cartagena Protocol for the period 2011-2020, and requested the Liaison Group and the Compliance Committee to continue providing input to the fifth assessment and review and the evaluation of the new Implementation Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety.

At its ninth meeting, in decision CP-9/6 the COP-MOP decided that the fourth assessment and review of the Cartagena Protocol be combined with the final evaluation of the Strategic Plan for the Cartagena Protocol. The COP-MOP requested the Executive Secretary to analyse and synthesize information on the implementation of the Protocol, and requested the Liaison Group and the Compliance Committee, working in a complementary and non-duplicative manner, to contribute to this process and submit their conclusions for consideration by the Subsidiary Body on Implementation. The COP-MOP requested the Subsidiary Body on Implementation, at its third meeting, to consider the information provided and conclusions reached by the Liaison Group and Compliance Committee and to submit its findings and recommendations to the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol at its tenth meeting. The Subsidiary Body on Implementation considered the matter at its third meeting and adopted Recommendation SBI-3/2.

At the eighth meeting, the COP-MOP, in decision CP-VIII/15, welcomed the work of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation in undertaking the third assessment and review of the effectiveness of the Protocol and the midterm evaluation of the Strategic Plan for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety for the period 2011-2020. It also welcomed the input of the Compliance Committee and requested the Committee to continue providing inputs to the final evaluation of the Strategic Plan. Furthermore, the COP-MOP welcomed the contribution from the Liaison Group on Capacity Building. The COP-MOP noted the absence of clear linkages between some of the outcomes and indicators in the Strategic Plan and agreed to improve such linkages in a follow-up to the present Strategic Plan. It also noted that in the follow-up to the current Strategic Plan, indicators should be simplified, streamlined and made easily measurable with a view to ensuring that progress towards achieving operational objectives can be readily tracked and quantified.

At the seventh meeting, the COP-MOP, in decision BS-VII/3, decided that the third assessment and review of the effectiveness of the Protocol be combined with the mid-term evaluation of the Strategic Plan at COP-MOP 8, drawing upon information from the third national reports, the BCH, and additional information from dedicated surveys, where appropriate. The subsidiary body reviewing the implementation of the Protocol was requested to include contributions from the Liaison Group on Capacity-building, as well as inputs from the Compliance Committee. The COP-MOP also decided that the third assessment and review of the effectiveness of the Protocol would be undertaken using a core set of identified information needs available as an annex to the decision.

At the sixth meeting, the COP-MOP, in decision BS-VI/15, decided that the data and information contained in the analysis of the status of implementation of 15 core elements of the Protocol will form the baseline for measuring progress in implementing the Protocol, in particular the subsequent evaluation of the effectiveness of the Protocol and the mid-term evaluation of the implementation of the Strategic Plan. It also decided that the Secretariat would undertake a survey to gather information corresponding to indicators in the Strategic Plan, review the information gathered and make the results available at COP-MOP 7. In addition, the Secretariat was requested to develop a sound methodological approach for the third assessment and review of the effectiveness of the Protocol focusing primarily on the effectiveness of its institutional processes, annexes, procedures and mechanisms.

At the fifth meeting, the COP-MOP, in decision BS-V/15, adopted a framework and methodology for undertaking the second assessment and review of the effectiveness of the Protocol, including the indicators to be used. It decided that the scope of the second assessment and review would focus primarily on evaluating the status of implementation of 15 core elements that are specified in the annex to the above decision. It was also decided that the evaluation would be based on information through the second national reports, BCH, and information made available through the Compliance Committee, the capacity-building coordination mechanism and other relevant processes. The Parties agreed that the third assessment and review of the Protocol be conducted in conjunction with the mid term review of the implementation of the Strategic Plan at COP-MOP 8, using, among other things, information collected through the third national reports.

At the fourth meeting, the COP-MOP conducted the first evaluation of the effectiveness of the Protocol. It was noted, based on the analysis of the first national reports and the responses to a questionnaire that was sent to all Parties, that Parties had gained limited experience in the implementation of the Protocol. The COP-MOP recognised that this lack of operational experience did not provide a good basis for effective assessment and review of the Protocol then.

In order to facilitate the second assessment and review of the Protocol and its annexes and procedures the COP-MOP, in decision BS-IV/15, requested the Secretariat to: (i) develop a sound methodological approach based on the information contained in the first national reports, the responses to the “effectiveness questionnaire”, the reports of the Compliance Committee, information on the Biosafety Clearing-House and any other relevant documents; and (ii) draft criteria or indicators that could apply in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Protocol.

In decision BS-IV/15, the COP-MOP also invited Parties to make submissions on a Strategic Plan for the Protocol and requested the Secretariat to present a draft Strategic Plan for consideration at its fifth meeting. In this regard, the Secretariat prepared a draft Strategic Plan and initiated consultative processes which facilitated input from a wide cross-section of Parties and relevant organizations.

At the third meeting, the COP-MOP considered the issue of assessment and review of the effectiveness of the Protocol, including its procedures and annexes in the context of Article 35 of the Protocol. In decision BS-III/15, Parties, other Governments as well as relevant organizations and other stakeholders were invited to submit their views evaluating the effectiveness of the Protocol and assessing the procedures and annexes under the Protocol. This process aimed at identifying difficulties arising from the implementation of the Protocol as well as suggestions for appropriate indicators/criteria and modalities for evaluating its effectiveness, for consideration by COP-MOP at its fourth meeting.