Archive Site for State Department information prior to January 20, 2001. This site is not updated. It is called the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to honor Colombia, which hosted the extraordinary Conference of the Parties in Cartagena in 1999. The Biosafety Protocol will help protect the environment without unnecessarily disrupting world food trade. It is important to emphasize that the Biosafety Protocol is an environmental agreement and that it does not address food safety.
Food safety is addressed by experts in other international fora.
The Protocol will help to realize the potential benefits of modern biotechnology around the world, such as reduced pesticide use and increased crop yields, while appropriately managing the potential risks to the environment. In addition, this agreement will help developing countries build their capacity for managing modern biotechnology.