Title: Perspective on OECD activities from a non-member country
1Perspective on OECD activities from a non-member
country
- Prof. Atanas Atanassov, Agrobioinstitute,
BULGARIA - workshop Beyond the Blue Book Framework for
Risk/ Safety Assessment of Transgenic Plants. - Jeju Island, Korea, 29 September 2006
2Content
- OECD activities of benefit of non-member
countries - OECD activities of benefit of non-member
countries regional aspects - Recommendations for future OECD activities
involving non-member countries
3OECD activities of benefit of non-member countries
- Unique identifier for transgenic plants
- Assisting the CBD in implementing CPB, BCH
- Web-based databases (Biotrack)
- -database of field trials
- -product database
- Consensus documents
- -Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight Task Force
- -Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds
4OECD activities of benefit of non-member
countries regional aspects
- Participation in the work of the OECD task
forces, fora, meetings as observers - - OECD global forum on knowledge economy modern
agricultural biotechnology in non-member
countries, 18-19 November, 2002
5OECD activities of benefit of non-member
countries regional aspects
- Support and assistance in Black Sea Biotechnology
Association (BSBA) activities
6BSBA- Goals
- To create within the Black Sea region, a network
of countries with historically similar
agricultural needs, priorities and often
practices, science based regulations that not
only protect the public health and the regional
environment, but also stimulate economic
development, international trade, modern
agricultural practices, modern food and feed
production industry, east/west collaborations and
the advancement of regional varieties. - To increase the regions contribution to and
participation in the global debate regarding
agricultural biotechnology. - To build a system of mutual acceptance of
regulatory and safety data for agricultural
products improved through biotechnology. - To build regional human and organizational
(including information sharing) capacity to
understand and responsibly employ Ag
biotechnology.
7BSBA activities
- A regional Biotechnology web portal which serves
in real time mode as the regional Ag-Biotech
clearing house (http//www.bsbanet.org/) - Annual Black Sea Region Biotech Forum- a
platform for regulatory, economic development and
trade related issues of Ag biotechnology - Consensus documents on environmental risk
assessment of GM maize, GM soybean, GM sugar beet
based on the research and experience with these
crops in the region. - a network of laboratories to work on mutually
(and internationally) accepted and available
validated detection and monitoring
methods/procedures with the view to evolve it
into a network of accredited laboratories.
8Recommendations for future OECD activities
involving non-member countries
- Biotrack databases to include data from non
member countries regular update of the
information
9Recommendations for future OECD activities
involving non-member countries
- Consensus documents- non member countries would
highly encourage OCED to continue the work on the
species with high socio-economic value for the
developing countries and countries with economies
in transition - Non member countries, Balkan region in particular
to be better represented at the OECD task forces
meetings
10Recommendations for future OECD activities
involving non-member countries
- IPRs and technology transfer in the field of
modern biotechnology require deeper attention - Currently the multinational biotech companies are
the holders of the IPRs of the most of the
transgenes that are commercially introduced - These transgenes are introduced in few varieties
or hybrids that are generally not designed to be
adapted to different climatic conditions (e.g.
Africa, Asia, the Balkans) - A growing concern exists that the new GM
varieties will pose a treat to local
agrobiodiversity
11Recommendations for future OECD activities
involving non-member countries
- IPRs and technology transfer what can be the
solution? - Introducing the genes of the companies to local
varieties equal sharing the IPRs between
multinational companies and local research
centers/breeders - OECD is in the unique position to play a role of
mediator between its member countries (biotech
exporters) and non-member countries (biotech
importers) in this technology transfer dialogue
12Recommendations for future OECD activities
involving non-member countries
- OECD is in the position to initiate activities
and play a role in the co-existence debate - co-existence of conventional, organic and GM
production systems is both agricultural and
economic issue - Co-existence is an issue in many OECD member
countries (EU) - Co-existence is a topic of concern for the most
of non-member countries
13Recommendations for future OECD activities
involving non-member countries
- Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety
- On the international arena, we would highly
encourage OECD to continue its efforts to assist
CBD Secretariat with regard of BCH and to find
the appropriate mode to play a key role in the
WTO CPB debate - 7th EC FP international cooperation
14- Thank you for your attention!