The biosafety protocol under the Convention on Biological Diversity is called the Cartagena Protocol and is an agreement designed to regulate the international trade, handling and use of genetically modified organisms. It explicitly recognizes the need for a precautionary approach to the environmental release of GMOs. There are still important issues that have not yet been settled inside the protocol, such as the labeling required for transboundary shipments of GM crops. The protocol was in danger of never being established due to the efforts of some countries (the “Miami Group”) led by the US, Canada and Argentina, - the countries with the largest acreage of GM crops in the world. The protocol was adopted in January 2000 and entered into force September 11, 2003. Though over 100 states have ratified the Protocol, there are many others that have not, including Canada and Argentina. The United States has neither ratified the Protocol nor the Convention on Biological Diversity. For more information see greenpeace.org