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 Update
for Tuesday, 26 June:
On
Tuesday, delegates met in parallel sessions of the Plenary
and the Committee of the Whole (COW). Plenary considered
and concluded discussion of 10 articles. The COW held general
discussion on ensuring the UI's autonomy under Article XIV
of the FAO Constitution and began considering institutional
issues. The working groups on the list of crops and and
on definitions met in the late evening. Above
left: View from the back of the Green Room during the afternoon's session of the COW.
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Plenary
 GRAIN,
on behalf of a coalition of NGOs, highlighted food security
over narrow trade interests, emphasized the central role
of farming communities, and reinforced free access and exchange
of plant genetic resources. More information available
at www.grain.org
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BIOS,
representing the biotech industry, supported more effective
use of the IU system to ensure food security and flow of benefits
to those who provide access. |
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CANADA opposed reference to smallholder farmers who generate
and use their own crops, suggesting text on farmers who use
PGRFA. |
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In
Article 1, on the IU's objectives of conservation and sustainable
use of PGRFA and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising
from their use, delegates discussed the IU's link with the
CBD and the FAO. The US (left) proposed deferring debate
pending resolution of the legal relationship between the IU
and FAO Article 14. |
| In
6.2(b), on strengthening research that enhances biodiversity,
CUBA proposed replacing reference to enhancing biodiversity
with reference to preserving biodiversity. |
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ETHIOPIA
stated that the link between the IU and CBD concerns the substantial
issue of food biodiversity, not administrative matters. |
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Committee
of the Whole
Chair
Francis Montanaro Mifsud (Malta, shown below) noted
COW's mandate to ensure maximum autonomy for the IU's Governing
Body (GB), and to negotiate on the basis of text prepared
by the legal working group.
Right: View from the back of the Red Room, where today's
COW met.
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| The
US suggested a new subparagraph 19.5bis stating
that consensus would be required for all GB decisions relating
to: the acquisition, utilization or allocation of financial
resources; agreements under Article15 with international agricultural
research centers of the CGIAR or other international institutions
and in the implementation of such agreements; dispute settlement
procedures; benefit-sharing; and compliance. |
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Chair
Mifsud and FAO Legal Council Edison. |
| Miscellaneous |
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| In
the hallway between the two meeting rooms, the wheeling and
dealing continue: here we can observe four different informal
groups discussing proposals. |
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