Notification 2019-011

Dear Madam/Sir, The purpose of this notification is to bring to your attention the decisions adopted at the ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP-MOP 9) that request action by Parties, other Governments, indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations in relation to the Cartagena Protocol, as well as to provide information on planned activities for the biennium 2019-2020 in light of the decisions adopted at COP-MOP 9. Furthermore, the notification also addresses biosafety-related requests for action from the decisions adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at its fourteenth meeting (COP 14). In particular and taking into account the call made by both COP 14 and COP-MOP 9 on the need for a coordinated, complementary and non-duplicative approach on issues related to synthetic biology under the Convention and its Protocols, information related to synthetic biology, as per COP decision 14/19, has been included in this notification. A list of these requests and decisions is included in the annex to this notification for your consideration and appropriate action. The notification also provides information on planned meetings for the biennium 2019-2020. Intersessional activities for the biennium 2019-2020 The following intersessional activities in support of the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol will take place in line with the decisions by COP-MOP 9: • The sixteenth meeting of the Compliance Committee under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (tentatively scheduled for May 2019); • A meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Synthetic Biology (tentatively scheduled for June 2019); • The thirteenth meeting of the Liaison Group on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (tentatively scheduled for the third or fourth quarter of 2019); • A meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Socio-economic Considerations (tentatively scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019, subject to the availability of funds); • A meeting of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on Risk Assessment and Risk Management (tentatively scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2019, subject to the availability of funds); • The eleventh meeting of the Informal Advisory Committee on the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) (tentatively scheduled for the second quarter of 2020); • The seventeenth meeting of the Compliance Committee under the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 2020); • The fourteenth meeting of the Liaison Group on the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (tentatively scheduled for the first quarter of 2020). Furthermore, matters related to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety will be considered at other intersessional meetings, including: • The twenty-fourth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice; • The third meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Implementation; and • Meetings of the Open-Ended Intersessional Working Group on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework. The Secretariat will follow up in due course to invite submissions, as appropriate, in preparation for intersessional activities. Seventh replenishment of the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund (GEF-7) As you may be aware, under GEF-7, the implementation of the Cartagena Protocol continues to be one of the programming elements of the Biodiversity Focal Area. I would like to take this opportunity to draw your attention to decision CP-9/4 which urges eligible Parties to prioritize biosafety projects during the programming of their national allocations under the System for Transparent Allocation of Resources (STAR) within the framework of GEF-7. The decision also encourages Parties to cooperate at the regional and sub-regional levels, and to request support from the GEF for joint projects in order to maximize synergies and opportunities for the cost-effective sharing of resources, information, experiences and expertise. You may wish to contact the GEF operational focal point of your country (Contact information for GEF operational focal points may be found through the website of the GEF: https://www.thegef.org/focal_points_list. ) in this regard. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support for the work of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and look forward to your continued cooperation. Please accept, Madam/Sir, the assurances of my highest consideration.

Executive Secretary

To: Cartagena Protocol National Focal Points, CBD National Focal Points (where CPB focal points have not yet been designated), international organizations, indigenous peoples and local communities and relevant organizations