G/SPS/GEN/1703  
26 June 2019 
(19-4299) Page: 1/2 
Committee on  Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
MINISTERIAL DECLARATION OF THE SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL  (CAS)  
ON "THE LOW -LEVEL PRESENCE (LLP) OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED  
ORGANISMS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THE IMPORTING COUNTRY"  
COMMUNICATION BY ARGENTINA  
The following communication , received on  25 June 2019, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Argentina . 
 
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1  OVERVIEW  
1.1.  The Agriculture Ministers of the member countries of the Southern Agricultural Council 
(CAS) - Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay – have highlighted the importance of innovation 
for agricultural production in order to address current and potential challenges.  
1.2.  Biotechnology , which has been used safely for over  20 years,  has become a key tool  for 
responding to such challenges . Approvals of products  derived from biotechnology  are based on 
science and risk assessment.  
1.3.  Asynchronous approvals foster situations in which there may be a  low-level presence (LLP) of 
genetically mo dified organisms that are not authorized in the importing countr ies. LLP situations are 
part of the current and potential challenges experienced by countries, which include  the effects of 
climate change.  
1.4.  To avoid LLP situations, countries must base their d ecisions on internationally harmonized 
criteria , and strongly promote coll aboration to ensure  science -based regulatory frameworks . 
  G/SPS/GEN/1703  
- 2 - 
  2  TEXT OF THE "MINISTERIAL DECLARATION OF THE SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL 
COUNCIL (CAS) ON THE LOW -LEVEL PRESENCE (LLP) OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED 
ORGANISMS NOT AUTHORIZED BY THE IMPORTING COUNTRY"  
LOW-LEVEL PRESENCE (LLP) OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS  
NOT AUTHORIZED BY THE IMPORTING COUNTRY  
 
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL COUNCIL (CAS)  
XXXVII ORDINARY MEETING  
 
CAS/Council , Declaration II I (XXXVII -2019)  
Santiago de Chile, Chile - 28 and 29 May 2019 
Original : Spanish  
 
Ministerial Declaration : 
The Agriculture Ministers of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, member countries of the 
Southern Agricultural Council (CAS), meeting on 28 and 2 9 May 2019 in Santiago de Chile, Chile,  
Consider that : 
1. Agricultural reform is a way to improve the product ivity of farmers in a safe and sustainable 
manner, and against a background of  rising international demand for food and signif icant 
limitations, such as restricted access to arable land and freshwater, and climate change . In 
this regard, biotechnology cont inues to play a fundamental role in addressing these global 
challenges facing agricultural production.  
2. The quantity of biotechnology -derived crops that are developed and produced throughout 
the world is increasing  every year, which has led to  a rise  in the number of asynchronous 
and asy mmetric approvals , despite the two decades of experience in assessing  the safety of 
such products.  
3. There is an immediate need to address the growing  risk to trade arising from  the low -level 
presence (LLP) of biotech products which have not been approved by some importing 
countries, and which affect trade and world food security . 
4. Regulatory approaches related to products derived from innovative agricultural technologies 
must be based on science and risk assessment, demonstrate  transparen cy, not be more 
trade -restrictive than necessary in order to meet legitimate objectives , and be consistent 
with the relevant international obligations, including the World Trade Organization (WTO) 
Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phyt osanitary Measures and Agreement on 
Technical Barriers to Trade.  
Declare that : 
1. They recognize the need for commitment to developing practical approaches for the 
management of LLP which are based on science and risk assessment , are predictable and 
transpare nt, and foster cooperation with regard to internationally harmonized standards 
such as the Codex Alimentarius (CAC/GL 45 -2003, Directrices para la realización de la 
inocuidad de los alimentos obtenidos de plantas de ADN recombinante  (Guidelines for the 
food safety assessment of foods derived from recombinant -DNA plants) ). 
2. They will work together to facilitate international trade in agricultural products , by addressing 
the general issue of asynchronous  approvals , while reducing the impact of LLP situations.  
3. They will promote the application of functional and transparent regula tory approaches based 
on science and risk assessment, which foster innovation and ensure a global supply of safe 
and reliable food . 
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