§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he is making to his counterparts in the EU concerning the enforcement of a Biodiversity Protocol to be discussed in Montreal next January. [99495]
§ Mr. MeacherThe UK and the EU are considering the concepts discussed at the informal consultations on the Biosafety Protocol held by the President of the Extraordinary Conference of the Parties (Ex-COP), Minister Mayr, in Vienna in September. I have put the UK views to my Ministerial colleagues at meetings of the Environment Council. The Environment Council is next due to discuss the Protocol and agree the framework for the negotiators at its meeting on December 13 and 14. The draft text of the protocol contains an article that the Parties to the Protocol would, at their first meeting, consider and approve cooperative procedures and institutional mechanisms to promote compliance with the provisions of the Protocol, and to address cases of non-compliance.