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The Cartagena Protocol and the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) on Biosafety

Adopted in January 2000, the Protocol entered into force in September 2003 and was ratified by Italy in March 2004.
The objective of the Protocol is to ensure an adequate protection in the field of the use of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology, which may have adverse effects on biodiversity and human health. The provisions of the Protocol are in accordance with the precautionary approach contained in Principle 15 of the Rio declaration.
To support the exchange of information in biosafety the Protocol established the Biosafety Clearing-House with the mandate to:

• facilitate sharing of scientific, technical, environmental and legal information on, and experience with, living modified organisms;
• assist Parties to implement the Protocol, taking into account the special needs of developing country Parties and countries with economies in transition;
• inform Parties about the decisions regarding the domestic use and marketing of LMOs as part of the procedure for transbaundary movement of LMOs for direct use as food, feed or processing.

The Italian Biosafety Clearing-House

The Italian BCH is an information-sharing platform in support to the decision-making process on national biosafety issues which:

• is constructed within the international framework set up by the Convention on Biological Diversity;
• follows the indications of the Aarhus Convention;
• reflects the provisions of the European Community;
• responds to the requirements of the Italian Law on public consultation and access to information;
• supports the development of implementation legislation by the Italian Regional Authorities

The Italian BCH consists of five different sections:

• Presentation, which provides general information on biosafety issues, including links with relevant Institutions and Organisations;
• Biosafety, with the general outlines of the principles for risk assessment and risk management, as well as the link to some informatic tools for biosafety;
• Legislation, with a collection of National, Communitary and International legislative texts relevant for biosafety;
• GMO documents and decisions, including tools for the information and the participation of the public in the area of the experimental and commercial release of LMOs;
• Clearing House, which performs the information tasks required by the Cartagena Protocol and under the competence of EU Member States.

The Italian decision-making platform on Biosafety

The Ministry for the Environment and Territory and Sea is the National Competent Authority and coordinates the administrative and technical and scientific activities on Biosafety.

The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Regional Authorities participate to the work according to their specific areas of responsibilities.

The Italian BCH has been implemented by the Ministry for the Environment and Territory and Sea in partnership with the Biosafety Unit of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB)

 

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