Notification 2012-042

Dear Madam/Sir, Reference is made to the earlier notification (2011-146) sent on 1 August 2011 inviting the nomination of laboratories involved in the detection and identification of living modified organisms (LMOs) with a view to establishing an electronic network through the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH). Paragraph 5 of decision BS-V/9 invites Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to nominate national and international reference laboratories with the view to establishing, through the BCH, an electronic network of laboratories to facilitate the identification of living modified organisms as well as the sharing of information and experience. Furthermore, the sixth meeting of the Informal Advisory Committee on the BCH recommended that the Secretariat explore the possibility of facilitating interaction among detection laboratories through, for example, an online forum. I am pleased to announce that the Network of laboratories for LMO detection and identification has now been launched in the BCH http://bch.cbd.int/onlineconferences/portal_art18/htpi_laboratories.shtml. The first activity for the Network is a series of online discussion groups which began on Monday, 19 March and will continue until 30 April 2012. The second activity for the Network will be a workshop tentatively scheduled to be convened in November 2012. Nominations to the Network of LMO detection and identification laboratories are accepted on an ongoing basis and can be made through the Management Centre of the BCH by using the online common format for “Biosafety Organization, including Laboratory for detection and identification of LMOs” available at: http://bch.cbd.int/managementcentre/edit/organization.shtml (log-in required). An offline version of the common format (log-in required) is also available for download to assist users to gather and organize the necessary information prior to submission. Laboratories at are already registered as organizations in the Biosafety Clearing-House are invited to update their existing records to include additional information about their activities on the detection and identification of living modified organisms. Thank you for your continued cooperation and support towards the work of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety National Focal Points, CBD National Focal Points (where CPB focal points have not yet been designated), BCH National Focal Points