BCH Philippines

The BCH Pilipinas is the Philippine node of the Biosafety Clearing-House mechanism established under Article 20 of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. It is a centralized operational BCH national system designed to facilitate the exchange of scientific, technical, environmental and legal information on Living Modified Organisms (LMOs). Similarly, experiences on the use of LMOs by the participating agencies involved in biosafety regulation and other biosafety-related organizations are also shared. As a central repository of information, it serves as a "one-stop shop" where users composed of public research institutions, private sector and other stakeholders, can readily access biosafety-related information. Thus, BCH Pilipinas serves as a venue for information exchange for providers and users of biosafety information in a transparent, accurate and timely manner. The information in the BCH Pilipinas are provided by the National Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) and the Competent National Authorities: Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST). The information are then submitted to the BCH Focal Point for onward transmittal to the BCH Central Portal.

Mandate

http://www.cbd.int/

Thu, 25 Oct 2007

Article 20, paragraph 1, of the Biosafety Protocol established a Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) as part of the clearing-house mechanism of the Convention on Biological Diversity, in order to:

Facilitate the exchange of scientific, technical, environmental and legal information on, and experience with, living modified organisms; and

Assist Parties to implement the Protocol, taking into account the special needs of developing country Parties, in particular the least developed and small island developing States among them, and countries with economies in transition as well as countries that are centres of origin and centres of genetic diversity.

Biosafety Protocol Background

http://www.cbd.int/

Thu, 25 Oct 2007

Article 20, paragraph 1, of the Biosafety Protocol established the BCH as an information-exchange mechanism to assist Parties to implement its provisions and to facilitate sharing of information on, and experience with, living modified organisms (LMOs).

The BCH is essential for the successful implementation of the Protocol. It assists Parties and other stakeholders in different ways in the implementation of the Protocol. For example, it provides a "one-stop shop" where users can readily access or contribute relevant biosafety-related information. This would assist Governments to make informed decisions regarding the importation or release of LMOs. Information in the BCH is owned and updated by the users themselves, this ensuring its timeliness and accuracy.