Asian Countries Prepare for the Meeting of the Parties (MOP) 7

More than 40 representatives of ministries, research institutions, regulatory agencies, and the academe from China, Cambodia, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam participated in a preparatory meeting for the upcoming Meeting of the Parties 7 (MOP7) in Bogor, Indonesia on August 25-26, 2014.

Prof. Piet van der Meer of Public Research and Regulation Initiative facilitated the entire meeting and led the discussion on the items to be taken up in MOP7. These include the implementation and assessment of the effectiveness of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB); general principles and methodology of risk assessment and risk management; socio-economic considerations; unintentional transboundary movements and emergency measures; and contained use, handling, transport, packaging and identification of living modified organisms. Featured speakers were Indonesian scientist Dr. Muhammad Herman, Dr. Ranjini Warrier (India), Dr. David Heron (USDA-APHIS), socio-economists Dr. Leonardo Gonzales (Strive Foundation) and Dr. Agus Pakpahan (National Biosafety Commission of Indonesia), and Dr. Fan Li Chou (USDA).

Organizer heads Dr. Randy Hautea of ISAAA and Dr. Bambang Purwantara of Indonesia Biotech Information Center welcomed the participants and challenged them on the importance of the meeting to biosafety regulation and implementation in their respective countries as well as on international trade of biotech crops.

For details of the meeting, contact knowledge.center@isaaa.org.