All Questions

The Secretariat has prepared these questions and answers to assist public understanding of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. It is not intended to provide legal interpretation of the Protocol. Please refer to the original text of the Protocol for any further information.

a.	Biosafety and Biotechnology
	(Questions 1-7)

b.	The Biosafety Protocol and its Implementation
	(Questions 8-28)

c.	Becoming a Party to the Protocol
	(Questions 29-35)

30. How does one become a Party to the Protocol?

Only a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity can become a Party to the Protocol (see Article 32.1 of the Convention), through one of the following legal means: ratification, acceptance, approval or accession. Each of these has the same legal effect.

If a Party to the Convention signed the Protocol during the time period specified in Article 36 of the Protocol, it may, depending on domestic legal requirements, choose to become a Party to the Protocol through ratification, acceptance or approval.

If a Party to the Convention did not sign the Protocol during the time period specified in Article 36, it may become a Party to the Protocol through accession.