ABSTRACT
The globalization process, with its complex and uncontrolled dimensions, requires a political response, in other words a political framework which will arbitrate between conflicting interests and regulate the economic, social and political externalities of liberalization. As for the dimensions that are considered within the framework of globalization, this political response involves multiple actors (states and nonstate actors) with different priorities and powers. The biotechnology (at research, innovation, production and trade dimensions) presents similar features. Moreover, this sector is one of the rare domains of economic globalization for which there is a political response; in other words, regulation efforts are displayed at transnational and international levels. These efforts are realized by the involvement of states (determination of sector development strategies and trade rules), the international organizations (creation of principles and norms concerning the use and the trade of biotech products, natural plant and animal species and also the protection of biodiversity and biosafety), the non-governmental organizations (creation of principles and norms for the protection of biodiversity and biosafety) and the firms (production and marketing of biotech products). In consequence, several actors have to bargain and to negotiate in order to realize their common and conflictive interests. For this reason, regional and international regulations (or efforts to achieve them) and declarations of principles are abundant.
