The third Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP/MOP-3) has ended with agreement on detailed documentation requirements for living modified organisms for food, feed, or processing (LMO-FFPs), as set out in Article 18.2(a) of the Protocol.

Ten months earlier, at COP/MOP-2, Parties had been unable to reach consensus on this issue, thus missing the deadline for resolution laid out in the text of the Protocol.
Adoption of a compromise package on documentation requirements for LMO-FFPs was heralded as a key step forward in the Protocol’s implementation. The decision requests parties to take measures to ensure that documentation accompanying LMO-FFPs in commercial production is in compliance with the requirements of the country of import and clearly states: in cases where the identity of the LMO is known through identity preservation systems, that the shipment “contains” LMO-FFPs; and in cases where the identity of the LMOs is not known, that the shipment “may contain” LMO-FFPs. COP/MOP-5 will review experience gained with these provisions, with a view to considering a decision at COP/MOP-6 to ensure that documentation clearly states that the shipment “contains” LMO-FFPs. COP/MOP-6 is expected to convene in 2012.
Held from 13-17 March 2006, in Curitiba, Brazil, COP/MOP-3 also considered reports on ongoing activities under the Protocol, as well as other issues such as risk assessment and risk management, compliance, monitoring and reporting, and assessment and review of implementation.

More information:
IISD RS coverage of the meeting