The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is the first new environmental treaty of the 21st century, and is the culmination of five years of negotiations among senior officials from over 130 governments. Governments agreed on January 29 to a legally binding agreement regulating the import and export of genetically modified organisms. Countries will communicate to the world community via an Internet-based Biosafety Clearinghouse as to whether they will accept imports containing GMOs. All shipments must be labeled. More stringent standards will be applied to seeds, fish and other GMOs that are released into the environment.
The agreement will be opened for signatures during May and June. It will enter into force when 50 countries have ratified it. You can read the
Protocol Agreement at the Convention on Biodiversity website.
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