Working Group on ABS

The third objective of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), ranking equally alongside conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, is access to genetic resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilisation. Rapid innovation in biotechnology has widened industry’s options for developing new products in the agricultural and pharmaceutical sectors. Among other things, such products make use of substances and genetic material from wild species and from traditional varieties and landraces of crop plants and farm animals. This has raised international demand for the genetic resources involved. The issue of how best to govern access to genetic resources and share the benefits from their use across national borders was consequently one of the most contentious negotiation issues in the run up to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Both access and benefit sharing are required to be on mutually agreed terms. The resulting arrangements can create new economic and social incentives for countries of origin to conserve the biodiversity found in their sovereign territory. Article 16 of the Convention calls upon states to facilitate access for other parties, and in particular developing countries, to technologies that are relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity or make use of genetic resources and do not cause significant damage to the environment. In particular, countries that provide genetic resources are required to be given access to technologies that make use of those resources.

The CBD parties aim to negotiate, by 2010, an international regime to promote and safeguard the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources.

In the course of this process, what are known as the ‘Bonn Guidelines’ provide voluntary guidance for states in establishing legislative, administrative or policy measures to implement the CBD provisions. The Guidelines identify steps in the access and benefit sharing process and define the responsibilities of users and countries of origin (‘providers’).

Equitable sharing of benefits is also addressed in  Article 8(j) of the Convention concerning the preservation and application of traditional knowledge.

The Working Group on ABS was established to support implementation of the Programme of Work on ABS.

BfN operates a dedicated  website on ABS.