Paraguay: Approval of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity: Law 2309

Paraguays Law 2309, approved on December 3, 2003, approves the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity. The protocol aims to regulate the transboundary movement of living modified organisms (LMOs) to prevent potential risks to biological diversity. The law establishes the National Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Biotechnology (INBIO) as the agency responsible for the implementation of the protocol in Paraguay. INBIO has the following functions: to issue permits for the import, export and release of LMOs, to monitor LMOs in Paraguay, and to promote education and public awareness about biotechnology. The law also establishes that LMOs may only be imported, exported or released in Paraguay if they meet the following requirements: they must not have adverse effects on human health or the environment, there must be a prior informed agreement (PIA) between the importing and exporting country, and there must be a contingency plan in case of emergency. Paraguays approval of the Cartagena Protocol is an important step towards ensuring biosafety in the country, providing a legal framework for regulating the transboundary movement of LMOs, which helps to protect Paraguays biological diversity and promote biotechnology research and development.