On Thursday 11th September the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety entered into force. It provides international rules for the transboundary movement of GMOs and enshrines the precautionary principle, including the right of countries to refuse the import of GMOs. The major GMO producer, the USA, however has not signed or ratified the treaty. The first meeting is of the parties, which are 59 states by now, is scheduled for February 23-27 2004.</p><p><a href="http://www.biodiv.org/doc/press/pk-bs-01.asp" target = "blank">Press kit of the Biosafety Secretariat</a></p><p><a href="http://europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guestfr.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=IP/03/1236%7C0%7CRAPID&lg=EN&display=" target = "blank">EU Press Release</a>