ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the level of participation of civil society, identifies commonalities and assesses transparency in the decision-making processes in three international institutions related to biotechnology: the bodies constituted under the Cartagena Protocol on Bio-Safety (the Bio-Safety Protocol); the Codex alimentarius (Codex); and the World Trade Organization (WTO). The governing body of the Bio-Safety Protocol is the Conference of the Parties (COP) serving as the Meeting of the Parties to this Protocol. The COP also established an Open-ended Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee for the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (ICCP). The participation of civil society could help decision-makers responsible for regulating biotechnology to better understand the diverse concerns of the community and to formulate policies reflecting the needs of society. The chapter shows that rules or standards promulgated in one forum could affect the content of rules in another.
