ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to describe the negotiations on the procedures, in particular the advance informed agreement (AIA), and other related aspects of the work carried out by Sub-Working Group 1 (SWG-1) of the Biosafety Working Group from the perspective of one of its two co-chairs. The AIA procedure was put on the agenda in part by developing countries concerned about becoming the dumping ground for toxic wastes and dangerous chemicals that originated in the North, inspired by international efforts to deal with toxic trade issues, which centred on the prior informed consent principle. The final compromise reached at the extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties provided for essentially6 two main procedures, the AIA and the living modified organisms-food, feed and processing procedures. One of the major difficulties from the beginning with the AIA procedures and the other operative issues dealt with in SWG-1 was how to develop an instrument that could be implemented effectively.
