Easy-SMTA: Transferring genetic resources with online contracts
26/10/2012 -
Every day more than 800 transfers of seeds on average are made worldwide for research, training and breeding purposes within the global gene pool of FAO’s International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). Each of these transfers travels under a standard contract negotiated by Member States that can now be concluded online.
The transfer of seeds and other planting material for food and agriculture is of utmost importance to facilitate research and to meet the challenges of fighting against pest diseases, adapting to the changing climate and increasing food production.
Since early September 2012, a new user-friendly information system called EASY-SMTA (http://mls.planttreaty.org), allows users to generate online, and in six languages, the Standard Material Transfer Agreements (SMTA) for the transfer of seeds and forages, without the need of negotiating a new agreement each time a transfer is made.
The System also assists users, in particular the providers of the crop material, to report online on each transaction to a central database, making unnecessary the need to transmit paper copies and reducing considerably the time and the efforts invested on this task.
Just a few days after the launching of the system, a total of 500 000 samples were registered as transferred with the standard contract, thanks also to a series of agreed procedures and automated connections between the central reporting database and national and international genebanks. Among those, we find reports from Germany, Canada and Spain, as well as those of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT).
"Easy-SMTA is of voluntary use and offers users new practical solutions to improve efficiency, such as the function to conclude contracts online", said Shakeel Bhatti, Secretary of the Governing Body of the International Treaty.
The functions of the system have been designed to respond, mainly, to the needs of small and medium seed providers, and a complete set of documentation and other useful material have also been published.
An operational gene pool The collections of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) collections hold at least 50 percent of all materials in the Treaty’s gene pool and they also transfer a great number of samples. For example, between August 2008 and November 2009, these centres released 608,664 samples of accessions under standard contracts, and received 41 902. Moreover, 21 countries of the European Region reported that they had issued 2 687 standard contracts, covering 318 001 samples. Several Contracting Parties outside the gene pool have also transferred a large number of seeds and other planting material with the standard contract as an independent policy decision.
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Promoting the rule of law at the national and international levels is at the heart of the United Nations’ mission. Establishing respect for the rule of law is fundamental to achieving a durable peace in the aftermath of conflict, to the effective protection of human rights, and to sustained economic progress and development. The principle that everyone – from the individual right up to the State itself – is accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated, is a fundamental concept which drives much of the United Nations work.
The principle of the rule of law embedded in the Charter of the United Nations encompasses elements relevant to the conduct of State to State relations. The main United Nations organs, including the General Assembly and the Security Council, have essential roles in this regard, which are derived from and require action in accordance with the provisions of the Charter.
"For the United Nations, the rule of law refers to a principle of governance in which all persons, institutions and entities, public and private, including the State itself, are accountable to laws that are publicly promulgated, equally enforced and independently adjudicated, and which are consistent with international human rights norms and standards. It requires, as well, measures to ensure adherence to the principles of supremacy of law, equality before the law, accountability to the law, fairness in the application of the law, separation of powers, participation in decision-making, legal certainty, avoidance of arbitrariness and procedural and legal transparency."
(S/2004/616) Report of the Secretary-General on the Rule of Law and Transitional Justice in Conflict and Post-Conflict Societies
The General Assembly has considered rule of law as an agenda item since 1992, with renewed interest since 2006 and has adopted resolutions at its last three sessions. (A/RES/61/39, A/RES/62/70, A/RES/63/12. The Security Council has held a number of thematic debates on the rule of law (S/PRST/2003/15, S/PRST/2004/2, S/PRST/2004/32, S/PRST/2005/30, S/PRST/2006/2 and adopted resolutions emphasizing the importance of these issues in the context of women, peace and security (SC res 1325, SC res. 1820), children in armed conflict (e.g., SC res 1612), the protection of civilians in armed conflict (e.g., SC res 1674). The Peacebuilding Commission has also regularly addressed rule of law issues with respect to countries on its agenda.
The Organization includes judicial mechanisms, such as the International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, and the ad hoc criminal tribunals and hybrid tribunals.
UN activities
UN rule of law activities support the development, promotion and implementation of international norms and standards in most fields of international law.
The United Nations works to support a rule of law framework at the national level: a Constitution or its equivalent, as the highest law of the land; clear and consistent legal framework, and implementation thereof; strong institutions of justice, governance, security and human rights that are well structured, financed, trained and equipped; transitional justice processes and mechanisms; and a public and civil society that contributes to strengthening the rule of law and holding public officials and institutions accountable. These are the norms, policies, institutions and processes that form the core of a society in which individuals feel safe and secure, where disputes are settled peacefully and effective redress is available for harm suffered, and where all who violate the law, including the State itself, are held to account.
Over 40 UN entities are engaged in rule of law issues and the Organization is conducting rule of law operations and programming in over 110 countries in all regions of the globe, with the largest presence in Africa. Many UN entities carry out activities in the same countries. Five or more entities are currently working simultaneously on the rule of law in at least 24 countries, the majority of which are in conflict and post-conflict situations.
Efforts to Coordinate UN Rule of Law Activities
UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson Responsibility for the overall coordination of rule of law work rests with the Rule of Law Coordination and Resource Group, chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General and supported by the Rule of Law Unit.
The membership of the Group consists of the Department of Political Affairs (DPA), the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the Office of Legal Affairs (OLA), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The Group has developed broad policy guidance to avoid duplication and maximize synergies, and is taking a new strategic and results-based approach to United Nations rule of law work. The Group has agreed a Joint Strategic Plan for 2009-2011 and has to date developed the following Guidance Notes of the Secretary General: UN Approach to Rule of Law Assistance, UN Approach to Justice for Children, and The United Nations and Constitution-making.
The Rule of Law Coordination and Resource Group, supported by the Rule of Law Unit, is tasked with acting as a repository for the Organization’s rule of law materials and best practices, and establishing and managing web resources. In fulfilling this mandate, the Group has developed the United Nations Rule of Law Website and Document Repository.
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
High-level Meeting on the Rule of Law, 24 September 2012
Wide view of the High-Level meeting on Climate Change convened in the General Assembly hall, at UN Headquarters in New York. UN Photo/Marco Castro 2007 The High-level Meeting of the 67th Session of the General Assembly on the Rule of Law at the National and International Levels took place at the United Nations Headquarters in New York on 24 September 2012. This was a unique occasion for all Member States, non-governmental organisations and civil society represented at the highest level, to discuss and agree a forward looking agenda on strengthening the rule of law.
Please see the final version of the Declaration of the High-level Meeting here:
Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the 67th Session of the General Assembly on the rule of law at the national and international levels
Modalities of the High-level Meeting
The General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/66/102 decided that the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the rule of law is held on 24 September 2012 in New York and that the High-level Meeting should address the topic of the rule of law at the national and international levels.
Resolution A/RES/66/102 outlined the organisational arrangements of the High-level Meeting. The resolution also decided that the High-level Meeting will result in a concise outcome document. It requested that the President of the General Assembly would, in consultation with Member States, finalise the organisational arrangements of the meeting.
The Secretary-General proposed a programme of action
A report of the Secretary-General A/66/749 in preparation of the High-level Meeting was submitted to the General Assembly in March 2012, as requested in the resolution A/RES/66/102. In order to galvanize collective efforts to strengthen the rule of law at the national and international levels, the Secretary-General proposed in his report that the General Assembly adopt a programme of action for the rule of law, agree to a process to develop clear rule of law goals and adopt other key mechanisms to enhance dialogue on the rule of law. The Secretary-General also encouraged Member States to take the occasion of the High-level Meeting to make individual pledges related to the rule of law.
Participation in the High-level Meeting
The President of the General Assembly compiled a list of non-governmental organisations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, as well as a list of civil society organisations, active in the field of the rule of law, who registered to participate in the High-level Meeting. In addition, a limited number of representatives of non-governmental organisations active in the field of rule of law were invited to speak.
Statements delivered during the opening of the High-level Meeting
President of the General Assembly, H.E. Mr. Vuk Jeremic Secretary-General, H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon President of the International Court of Justice, H.E. Judge Peter Tomka President of the Security Council, H.E. Dr. Guido Westerwelle United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rigths, Ms. Navanethem Pillay Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, Mrs. Helen Clark Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Mr. Yury Fedotov
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Rule of Law at the National and International Levels The General Assembly, Adopts the following Declaration: Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the General Assembly on the Rule of Law at the National and International Levels We, Heads of State and Government, and heads of delegation have gathered at United Nations Headquarters in New York on 24 September 2012 to reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law and its fundamental importance for political dialogue and cooperation among all States and for the further development of the three main pillars upon which the United Nations is built: international peace and security, human rights and development. We agree that our collective response to the challenges and opportunities arising from the many complex political, social and economic transformations before us must be guided by the rule of law, as it is the foundation of friendly and equitable relations between States and the basis on which just and fair societies are built. I 1. We reaffirm our solemn commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law and justice, and to an international order based on the rule of law, which are indispensable foundations for a more peaceful, prosperous and just world. 2. We recognize that the rule of law applies to all States equally, and to international organizations, including the United Nations and its principal organs, and that respect for and promotion of the rule of law and justice should guide all of
We reaffirm that human rights, the rule of law and democracy are interlinked and mutually reinforcing and that they belong to the universal and indivisible core values and principles of the United Nations.
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
8. We recognize the importance of fair, stable and predictable legal frameworks for generating inclusive, sustainable and equitable development, economic growth and employment, generating investment and facilitating entrepreneurship, and in this regard we commend the work of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law in modernizing and harmonizing international trade law.
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Every day more than 800 transfers of seeds on average are made worldwide for research, training and breeding purposes within the global gene pool of FAO’s International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA). Each of these transfers travels under a standard contract negotiated by Member States that can now be concluded online.
And who exactly is the guinea pigs who actually tries them? The unknowing citizen?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Does Monsanto Have Undue Influence on Governments? Monsanto has long been an advocate for improving agriculture with the tools of biotechnology. We believe biotechnology can help make agriculture more productive and sustainable. Forty years from now there will be an additional 3 billion people to feed, clothe and supply with energy. Technology, including biotechnology, is a key element in helping farmers meet the world’s needs. Our business is 100 percent focused on investing in the tools farmers need to meet this demand.
Many organizations share our views, but others disagree. Opponents of agricultural biotechnology cite safety and philosophical objections to developing and applying the science of biotechnology to improve agriculture.
One of government’s roles in this issue is to evaluate input from all sides and make sound policy decisions that benefit the public good. Monsanto, our partners and our opposition have all been active with nearly every government in the world to advocate our respective positions on agricultural biotechnology. This is the way it should be. It’s the right and duty of all to participate in such processes.
The world has largely embraced agricultural technology. Scientific and regulatory authorities worldwide such as the United Nations’ World Health Organization and Food and Agricultural Organization, the Royal Society in the United Kingdom, the American College of Nutrition and the French Academy of Medicine are among a number of prestigious groups that have clearly stated their views that foods from biotech crops are thoroughly evaluated through comprehensive testing for food, feed and environmental safety. Regulatory agencies in the U.S., Canada, Japan, the European Union, Korea, Taiwan, Australian, Argentina, Mexico, Russia and many other countries around the world have concluded that plant biotechnology products are as safe as current non-biotechnology crop varieties for use in food and feed.
Because of this broad support for agricultural biotechnology, opponents have accused Monsanto and others of improperly influencing governments that have adopted laws or policies supportive of agricultural biotechnology. This is simply not the case. Monsanto, like our opponents, does advocate our position before governments. We advocate for supportive policies, regulations and laws which are based on principles of sound science. We follow local laws regarding our efforts with governments and conduct routine audits to ensure our efforts are transparent, appropriate and legal. In any case where illegal actions are made by company employees or contractors, (See Monsanto Business Practices in Indonesia), they are reported to the proper authorities.
One objection opponents of biotechnology have raised is the fact that some former government employees have gone to work for Monsanto, and some company employees have left the company to take jobs in the public sector. Some critics say this shows collusion by Monsanto and the government. Such theories ignore the simple truth that people regularly change jobs to find positions that match their experience, skills and interests. Both the public and private sectors benefit when employers have access to the most competent and experienced people. It makes perfect sense that someone in government who has concluded biotechnology is a positive, beneficial technology might go to work for a biotech company, just as someone who believes otherwise might find employment in an organization which rejects agricultural biotechnology.
The sheer numbers of countries, not to mention farmers, who have embraced agricultural biotechnology, suggest that it’s not undue influence but instead useful technology and sound science that have been the deciding factors.
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Many organizations share our views, but others disagree. Opponents of agricultural biotechnology cite safety and philosophical objections to developing and applying the science of biotechnology to improve agriculture.
YA THINK?????
As a private citizen who eats and drinks substance to sustain my life.....what the hell am I ingesting???? Where is it on thelabels of the products?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
We will find out in 20 to 30 years whether or not these types of genetically modified foods will have any adverse affects on humans. It seems to me that the kids of today have a lot more problems than were present 40 years ago, make one wonder if it's caused by something we are consuming like the poisons used to preserve our food?
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. The Security Council has held a number of thematic debates on the rule of law (S/PRST/2003/15, S/PRST/2004/2, S/PRST/2004/32, S/PRST/2005/30, S/PRST/2006/2
