OpenLegislation

Article 6

United Kingdom

Original text. Later amendments are not shown.

In order to support the review and strengthening of the intersessional process, the Union shall in particular:

  1. (a)

    support the following topics for a new intersessional process either as intersessional topics or through dedicated working groups:

    1. (i)

      national implementation;

    2. (ii)

      universalisation;

    3. (iii)

      further post-RevCon work on CBM;

    4. (iv)

      assistance and cooperation under Articles VII and X of the BTWC, including identification of requirements for assistance in the development and adoption of appropriate regulatory frameworks (focusing on biosafety and biosecurity in the first instance);

    5. (v)

      developments in science and technology;

  2. (b)

    support a process of more frequent assessments of relevant scientific and technological developments. The ISU could play a role via its renewed mandate. In addition to a detailed discussion in the intersessional process, States Parties could decide on alternative ways to discuss science and technology issues (i.e. to create a new working group, to have a science and technology item included on the agenda of Meetings of States Parties, to have a dedicated experts meeting for science and technology, to set up an advisory panel or to set up an open-ended science and technology forum);

  3. (c)

    support the development of national regulatory frameworks, in particular on biosafety and biosecurity. The adoption of appropriate management standards for biosafety and biosecurity for laboratories and industry, although they are not in any way a substitute for a compliance regime, can help States Parties in the long term with the implementation of the obligations set out in the BTWC. They could also prove to be a useful tool, along with other measures, to contribute to a future enhanced compliance regime. Discussion on this development, i.e. with the relevant industry, could be part of a new intersessional process;

  4. (d)

    support the reinforcement of the decisional character of the intersessional process by exploring a range of options such as making the final report of the States Parties’ Meetings binding, agreeing on road maps, considering the possibility of working groups on specific issues, action plans or recommendations.