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Fourth meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group of Legal and Technical Experts on Liability and Redress (WGLR4) in the context of the Cartagena Protocol
22-26 October 2007, Montreal, Canada
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Highlights from Thursday, 25 October
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On Thursday morning and early afternoon, the Working Group met in plenary and addressed state responsibility and the primary compensation scheme. In the afternoon, the sub-working groups convened to consider damage and civil liability. In the evening, one sub-working group was convened on administrative approaches and an informal brainstorming session focused on the choice of instrument. Photo: Working Group Co-Chairs René Lefeber, Netherlands, and Jimena Nieto, Colombia
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Reports back fromt the Sub-working Groups |
Working Group Chairs René Lefeber, Netherlands, and Jimena Nieto, Colombia |
Sub-working Group Co-Chair Jane Bulmer, UK (left), noted reluctance of some delegates to consolidate operational text but estimated that more progress could still be achieved during the sub-working group. Damage Sub-working Group Chair Jürg Bally (right) explained that the sub-working group had addressed sections on: definition of damage; valuation of damage to conservation of biodiversity and to sustainable use of biodiversity; and special measures concerning centers of origin and of genetic diversity. |
Elaboration of options for elements of rules and procedures on liability and redress
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Co-Chairs Lefever and Nieto consulting before the morning session (left). Ahmed Saleh Al Khamshmee, Saudi Arabia, and Marcus Richards, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (right) |
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On a primary compensation scheme, Gerard van Bohemen, New Zealand (left), stressed that exemptions are typical for liability regimes and identified the need to address damage that will not be compensated because of the exemptions. Sergiy Gubar, Ukraine (right), discussed the nuances of the terms "responsibility" and "liability." |
On exemptions to, or mitigation of, strict liability, Nicola Notaro, EC (left), stressed that exemptions are typical for liability regimes and identified the need to address damage that will not be compensated because of the exemptions. On the provision of interim relief, Jeffrey Beattie, Palau (right),
suggested that the texts could provide useful guidance for developing domestic legislation.
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Christine von Weizsäcker, ECOROPA (left), lamented that the insurance industry often excludes LMOs from insurance coverage.
Pointing to the announcement of a moratorium on commercial planting of genetically modified crops in France, Duncan Currie, Greenpeace International (center), stressed concerns about uncontrolled dissemination of genetically modified crops and considered financial security a pivotal element . Referring to the BT maize, Public Research and Regulation Initiative (right), questioned the scientific evidence on BT maize and stressed that extrapolating from laboratory studies is not adequate. |
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Co-Chairs Lefeber and Nieto with delegates from Japan and Canada |
Sub-working Group : Damage |
Damage Sub-working Group Chair Jürg Bally (left) and Canadian delegates consulting (right) |
Contact Group: Administrative approaches |
Administrative approaches Chair Jane Bulmer, UK (left). Delegates during the sub-working group on administrative approaches |
Relevant links
Links
to IISD RS resources
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