27 October 2015: The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is inviting Parties of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to submit expressions of interest to participate in a pilot project on the integrated implementation of the CBD and the Biosafety Protocol at the national level.

Responding to a decision of the CBD Conference of the Parties (COP) that recognizes the need for integrated implementation of the CBD and its Protocols on Biosafety and Access and Benefit-sharing, the pilot project aims to strengthen capacities to develop and test practical actions to promote integrated implementation such as: integrating biosafety into National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) and other sectoral and cross-sectoral policies, plans and programmes; and inter-sectoral coordination mechanisms. The results of the pilot project will support the assessment of national capacity needs, skills and gaps, and feed into the development of training materials and workshops on mainstreaming biosafety into CBD implementation.

Funding for participation is available for up to ten developing countries or countries with economies in transition that are Parties to the Protocol. Further selection criteria include: progress in NBSAP revision and biosafety integration; practical experience or demonstrated commitment towards integrating biosafety into CBD implementation; and the availability of human resources to conduct national pilot country activities.

Pilot countries are expected to: analyze to what extent biosafety is integrated in CBD implementation at the national level; organize round tables to review results of this analysis and consider actions to further promote integrated implementation; hold seminars to increase biosafety awareness; and document and report these activities to the CBD Secretariat.

Parties interested in participating in the pilot project are asked to submit an expression of interest to the CBD Secretariat by 23 November 2015. [CBD Notification]