IRELAND ON CARTAGENA PROTOCOL: NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS

UNCLAS DUBLIN 001853

SIPDIS

STATE FOR OES/ETC (H.LEE),EB/TPP/ABT (R.SINGH)
USDA FOR FAS/BIG (JPPASSINO)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV ETRD EAGR EAID TBIO
SUBJECT: IRELAND ON CARTAGENA PROTOCOL: NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS

REF: STATE 259661


1. There have been no biosafety developments in Ireland
since the First Meeting of the Parties (MOP-1) to the
Cartagena Protocol on February 23-27, 2004, according to Ian
Keating, Principal Officer for Environment Policy in the
Department of the Environment and Local Government. In
discussing reftel with Post, Keating noted that Ireland
became a party to the Cartagena Protocol on February 12,
2004, and that the Protocol's requirements applied throughout
the EU by virtue of the provisions of EU Regulation
1946/2003. The Irish Government identified competent
authorities for the purpose of the Protocol and of the EU
Regulation in the domestic statute, "Genetically Modified
Organisms (Transboundary Movement) Regulations 2004," which
took effect in Ireland also on February 12, 2004. (Post will
e-mail this statute to OES/ETC and EB/TPP/ABT.) Ireland had
thus completed implementing regulations on transboundary
movement of GMOs prior to MOP-1. Since MOP-1, Ireland has
not implemented any laws, regulations, or practices relating
to biosafety.
BENTON