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)

12. What are the main features of the Protocol?

The Protocol promotes biosafety by establishing rules and procedures for the safe transfer, handling, and use of LMOs, with specific focus on transboundary movements of LMOs. It features a set of procedures including one for LMOs that are to be intentionally introduced into the environment (advance informed agreement procedure, see question 13), and one for LMOs that are intended to be used directly as food or feed or for processing (see question 14). Parties to the Protocol must ensure that LMOs are handled, packaged and transported under conditions of safety. Furthermore, the shipment of LMOs subject to transboundary movement must be accompanied by appropriate documentation specifying, among other things, identity of LMOs and contact point for further information (see question 16). These procedures and requirements are designed to provide importing Parties with the necessary information needed for making informed decisions about whether or not to accept LMO imports and for handling them in a safe manner.

The Party of import makes its decisions in accordance with scientifically sound risk assessments (see Article 15). The Protocol sets out principles and methodologies on how to conduct a risk assessment (see Annex III of the Protocol). In case of insufficient relevant scientific information and knowledge, the Party of import may use precaution in making their decisions on import. (see question 5). Parties may also take into account, consistent with their international obligations, socio-economic considerations in reaching decisions on import of LMOs (see Article 26).

Parties must also adopt measures for managing any risks identified by the risk assessment (see Article 16), and they must take necessary steps in the event of accidental release of LMOs (see Article 17).

To facilitate its implementation, the Protocol establishes a Biosafety Clearing-House for Parties to exchange information (see question 15), and contains a number of important provisions, including capacity-building (see question 19), financial mechanism (see Article 28), compliance procedures (see question 19) and public awareness and participation (see question 21).