This is an Open Session of the Research Group of the European Commission for the control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease (EUFMD). Its aim is to review progress in technical issues affecting the international control of FMD and, in so doing, to highlight significant changes or issues that require to be recognised by those implementing control policies and funding research and development. In particular, the Session will look at recent progress in the development and application of risk assessment methods; of surveillance for FMD in the source countries; and of diagnostic tools and vaccines for routine and emergency application. Further, it will consider the international trends in these fields and the perspectives of suppliers and users. The EUFMD is a regional Commission established under the auspices of FAO in 1954.

Paphos. Cyprus

A regional workshop organised by the Czech Republic with the support of FAO`s Regional Office for Europe. Workshop participants will be senior officials responsible for GMO management, co-existence measures and biosafety in transition countries of South Eastern Europe and European countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States. The workshop language is English with simultaneous translation into Russian. A small number of places for additional participants are available.

Prague. Czech Republic

Organized jointly by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), the theme of this congress is "Science, technology, and trade for peace and prosperity". It comprises four major events: the 26th International Rice Research Conference (including e.g. a session on `genetics and genomics` and workshops on hybrid rice and on genetically modified rice and biosafety issues); the 2nd International Rice Commerce Conference; the 2nd International Rice Technology and Cultural Exhibition; and the 2nd International Ministers` Round Table Meeting.

New Delhi. India

Organised by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), this workshop takes place together with the 9th International Symposium on Biosafety of Genetically Modified Organisms organised by the International Society for Biosafety Research.

Jeju Island. Republic of Korea

Co-organised by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), this symposium is being held to assess the state of the science and the art of plant breeding and to examine future prospects. Sessions are dedicated to themes such as: frontiers in breeding for complex traits; plant pre-breeding and allelic discovery; breeding for quality, nutritional and micronutrient traits; molecular breeding; and cultivar development methodologies.

Mexico City. Mexico

Organised, among others, by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), the goal of this conference is to provide a setting for attendees from both developed and developing countries to "learn from one another concerning the challenges faced by the access to and commercialization of life science and biotechnology".

Trieste. Italy

Organized by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) and Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), this conference aims to discuss "major intellectual property rights issues and concerns in Southeast Asia, with focus on biotechnology, biodiversity, and farmers rights toward agricultural and rural development, as well as the policy environment within which they are happening".

Makati. Philippines

Organised by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in collaboration with the Istituto Agronomico per l`Oltremare. Closing date for applications is 30 January 2006.

Florence. Italy

(Biotechnology in Ecuador: Current status and future perspectives). This seminar-workshop on biotechnology in Ecuador is organised by the REDBIO Ecuador National Co-ordination (REDBIO is the Technical Co-operation Network on Plant Biotechnology in Latin America and the Caribbean, based at the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile).

Quito. Ecuador

Regional practical training programme organised by the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka on behalf of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.

Peradeniya. Sri Lanka

Workshop organised by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in collaboration with the Istituto Agronomico per l`Oltremare. Closing date for applications is 30 November 2005.

Treviso. Italy

Sponsored, among others, by FAO, the United Nations Development Programme and the Secretariat for the Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), the conference provides an opportunity for "updating scientific information on different aspects of date palm production, propagation, protection, and marketing". Topics for the conference include molecular and genetic engineering and post harvest and processing technologies.

Abu Dhabi. United Arab Emirates

This biosafety workshop is organised by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB). Nationals of ICGEB Member States selected to participate on an ICGEB grant will have their accommodation and local hospitality, but not travel, funded.

Lima. Peru

A theoretical and practical course organised by EMBRAPA Recursos Genéticos e Biotecnologia on behalf of the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB).

Brasília. Brazil

Held every five years since 1985 by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), the symposium will cover "a wide range of topics from classical genetics to the most advanced research on gene isolation and functional genomics. The symposium will provide an important forum for reviewing the latest advances in rice research and for in-depth discussion and exchange of information on classical genetics and genomics".

Manila. Philippines

The focus of the seminar is the Application of biotechnology to zoonotic disease diagnosis and it is organised jointly with the 12th International Symposium of the World Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) will provide support for participation at the seminar of OIE Experts from OIE Reference Laboratories coming from developing countries.

Montevideo. Uruguay

A theoretical and practical course organised by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB). Registration is limited to 16 participants and the deadline for applications is 1 September.

New Delhi. India

Organised jointly by the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) Secretariat and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, the workshop "will provide an opportunity to explore methods and procedures for applying the IPPC`s pest risk analysis standards; share experiences on how to use plant health risk analysis (PHRA) as a decision making tool; present tools for completing PHRAs; strengthen international PHRA expertise and communication; build a collaborative international PHRA network". One of the 9 sessions is entitled "risks associated with living modified organisms". Deadline for registration is 1 September. The IPPC is an international treaty relating to plant health whose Secretariat is located in FAO Headquarters, Rome.

Niagara Falls. Canada

Workshop organised by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology. Deadline 1 June.

Treviso. Italy

Organised by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) in collaboration with the CRYMCEPT project (an European Union (EU) funded project on Establishing cryopreservation methods for conserving European plant germplasm collections), the workshops aims 1) to create awareness among decision-makers on the importance of cryopreservation and how it can be useful effectively to conserve plant genetic resources and 2) to train germplasm collection holders on how to develop and optimise cryopreservation techniques and protocols to more effectively conserve germplasm of importance to their regions, countries and institutions. Participants may register for Part 1 (2-days targeted at decision-makers) or the whole workshop. Some participants from EU international co-operation target counties may also attend. Deadline for receiving applications for the workshop or requests for financial support (will be provided to at least 10 applicants) is 31 March 2005.

Montpellier. France