Press Release: EU pushes for environmental agreement on GMOs in Montreal

An international conference will seek to finalise the Protocol on Biosafety in Montreal on 24-28.1.00. The protocol is an international environmental agreement under the Convention of Biodiversity, which aims to facilitate a proper risk assessment prior to cross-border movements of Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) derived from biotechnology. After five years of negotiations, the European Union considers that the agreement must now be concluded. It should be based on the precautionary principle and balance environmental and trade concerns. A primary objective of this protocol is to enable developing countries often lacking adequate legislation and administrative capacity to take well founded decisions on the import of living genetically modified organisms and thereby to protect their biodiversity.