In the end of june 2010 we launched “Plan C” with the purpose of obtaining the legal import of traditional derivates of the coca leaf in Europe.

See also the first progress report of August and September 2010

Here we present you the report of October. We have also publish the full report of the mission in Bolivia in Spanish, including the conclusions of the 23 September meeting in the National Senate.

The first phase of Plan C – for a worthy and sovereign export of the coca leaf – concluded with a meeting in la Paz on 19 October 2010, attended by 12 people, among them representatives of academic institutions, enterprises, coca leaf producers, the National Senate, the Bolivian government and Encod.

Meeting in La Paz, 19 october 2010 (from left to right, above): Dionisio Nuñez (Campaña Coca y Soberanía), Valerio Morales (Fundación Hoja Verde), Jorge Mendoza (Viceministerio de Defensa Social), Joep Oomen (ENCOD), Jorge Hurtado (ICORI), Angel Urquidi (Fundación Hoja Verde), (below): Beatriz Negrety (ENCOD), Consuelo Tovar (Senado Nacional) y Roxana Miranda (ICORI). No appearance in the photo: Elizabeth Salguero (MAS), Roger Carvajal (UMSA) y Mauricio Mamani (Fundación Hoja Verde).

In this meeting the following steps were decided:

1. Creation of an Impulsor Commission for a National Council of the Coca Leaf, with the task of elaborating a national strategy to design a sovereign policy with regards to the coca leaf

Based on the model of the first meeting for a worthy and sovereign export of the coca leaf, held in the national Senate on 23 September, this Commission will take on charge the preparation and organisation, before 1 March 2011, a second, broader meeting with the purpose of establishing a National Coca Leaf Council.

This Council would consist of representatives of 4 involved groups in the coca leaf issue: entrepreneurs, academic exports, coca producers and authorities with the aim of elaborating a strategy to strengthen a sovereign policy with regards to the coca leaf in Bolivia. This policy should allow for the worthy and sovereign export of the coca leaf and its benefitial derivates on the local, national and international markets, thus contributing to economic and ecological stability in the coca leaf producer regions.

On the short term, this Council will carry out activities in the following areas:

 socialize all relevant studies and experiences with regards to the current challenges for the promotion of legal commercialisation of coca leaf derivates on the (inter)national market.

 identify the information that is lacking and plan the necessary investigations.

 prepare the introduction of a certification system for organic coca, strengthening a legal market with fair and honest prices for producers and consumers.

 make a review of the current Law 1008 and consider its reform, starting with the current proposals coming from civil society (coca leaf producers and other sectors), in order to edit concrete proposals for the legislative power.

 make a review of the Study on the coca leaf market in Bolivia soon to be released and formulate eventual proposals for its adjustment might this be considered necessary and pertinent.

 colaborate with the conference on the coca leaf that will be held in the European Parliament in Brussels, in March 2011.

It is suggested that all members of the Impulsor Commission send their proposals for a concrete design of the National Coca Leaf Council to the offices of Senator Julio Salazar in the coming weeks. This office will elaborate a first proposal to form this Council, that will be presented in the second meeting for a worthy and sovereign export of the coca leaf, that will be organised in Bolivia.

Meeting in the National Senate, La Paz, 23 September 2010 (from left to right): Jorge Hurtado (ICORI), Joep Oomen (ENCOD), Julio Salazar (MAS, Senado Nacional), Roger Carvajal (UMSA), Silvia Rivera (sociologist) y Mauricio Mamani (Fundación Hoja Verde).

2. Creation of an advisory committee for the elaboration of a strategical communication plan with regards to the results of the laboratory investigation of the content of Coca – Cola and other products.

This committee, formed by Jorge Hurtado, Roger Carvajal and Angel Urquidi, will establish contact to the office of Senator Julio Salazar to accompany them in the elaboration of a communication strategy that will refer to a broad range of scientific documentation concerning the medical, chemical and legal aspects.

3. Elaboration of an operative plan for the industrial coca leaf plant in Padre Sama (Cochabamba)

To ensure this plant starts to operate in the coming months, albeit on an experimental level, it is suggested that a group of advisors be formed to accompany the current technical team of the Cochabamba Regional Government. This groups should collect the contributions of entrepreneurs with experience in the industrialisation and commercialisation of the coca leaf derivates as well as those of academic experts in the issue with knowledge of the region (University of Agronomy – ETSA in Cochabamba, University Quechua “Casimiro Huanca” in Chimoré) and the Viceministry of Science and Technology, as well as of coca leaf producers in the region who have the willingness to convert their cultivation into organic (through the Committee of the 6 Federations, AOPEB and other institutions that work on this issue).

Once the plant has been installed, it is suggested that the Senate demands information from those responsable for the plant in order to determine what is needed to make it start working.

4. Elaboration of a parliamentary resolution with the purpose of introducing worthy uses to confiscated coca leaves and finish the practice of incineration.

The preparation of this resolution could be carried out through a public hearing in the national parliament in which entrepreneurs, academic experts and others are invited to propose plans for these worthy uses. It is suggested to socialize the experiences of DIGCOIN in producing fertilizers with confiscated coca leaves.

5. Create a technical unit in the embassies of Brussels and Vienna to coordinate the strategies to promote the coca leaf in Europe

This unit will impulse and coordinate the search in Europe for concrete ways to eliminate the technical, commercial and legal obstacles to implement the international commercialisation of Bolivian coca leaf products. It will work in close cooperation with National Coca Leaf Council. ENCOD will present a project to initiate the prepartion of this technical unit in the coming months.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you wish to have more information or pass on this message to others who could be interested to support Plan C.

Many thanks for your support,

Joep Oomen and Beatriz Negrety

Name:

 Adress:

 City and postal code:

 Country:

Republish