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This website is designed to guide users through the
area of international treaties, conventions, standards and guidelines
applicable to biotechnology. |
Title: Bonn Guidelines on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Sharing of the Benefits Arising Out of Their Utilisation. |
Summary of Provisions:These Guidelines are for state parties to the Convention on Biodiversity. They are entirely voluntary. The Guidelines are to assist governments in the structuring of national and regional legislation and mechanisms to ensure fair access to genetic resources, and sharing of benefits from these resources. There is flexibility built into the guidelines to allow revision as experience is gained (http://www.cbd.int/decisions/default.asp?m=cop-06&d=24). Access to genetic resources is seen as important to sustainable development and the preservation of biodiversity, but only when there is fair distribution of benefits: both short-term and long-term; financial or technological; and with the preservation of traditional/ indigenous knowledge. The Guidelines ask for there to be transparency in policy and procedure in this area and suggest prior informed consent procedures are used. They also suggest that voluntary verification mechanisms are put in place. It is expected that work on access and benefit sharing by governments will form part of their wider biodiversity strategies. There is continued recognition of the need for more resources (financial, technological and scientific) to aid capacity building in less developed countries. Summary of Development:One of the three main goals of the Convention on Biodiversity (CBD) is "the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources" (http://www.cbd.int/convention/guide.shtml?id=web). In Article 15 of the CBD parties agree to: "take legislative, administrative or policy measures, as appropriate...with the aim of sharing in a fair and equitable way the results of research and development and the benefits arising from the commercial and other utilization of genetic resources." (http://www.cbd.int/decisions/default.asp?m=cop-06&d=24). The Bonn Guidelines, adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the CBD in April 2002, aim to help countries achieve this objective. Alongside the development of the Guidelines work took place on updating the Food and Agriculture Organisation's International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources, which became the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources in November 2001. This acts as a complement to the Bonn Guidelines and other work of the CBD. Member states of the Convention on Biodiversity are currently negotiating an international regime on access and benefit-sharing. Updates on this process are provided in the Genomics Monitor. Current Status:Launched in April 2002 and applicable to all state parties of the Convention on Biodiversity.Precursors:Convention on Biodiversity (1992). Food and Agriculture Organisation's International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources (1983).Related Summaries on the Genomics Gateway Site:
Convention on Biodiversity Page last updated 26th March 2009. Comments/enquiries to catherine.rhodes-2 'at' manchester.ac.uk
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