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