GenEquiFair Network
GenEquiFair Network
Upon invitation of the Swiss Academy of Science, the partners of the GenEquiFair network met for a first workshop on May 15th, 2008 in Bonn at the “Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft DFG ”, that generously hosted and sponsored the meeting. The goal of the meeting was to learn about each others work in the area of Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Benefit regarding non-commecial academic research, to assess the GenEquiFair project (FP7) and to discuss and to decide about options to take it further.
The group elaborated the recommendations below (PDF, 48 KB)
15th May 2008, Bonn Germany
Recommendations
Statement to the CBD COP9 regarding academic research and an international regime on access & benefit sharing
presented by the GenEquiFair network
The GenEquiFair network met in Bonn to discuss the impact of the CBD’s system of Access and Benefit Sharing on academic, non-commercial research.
GenEquiFair is an international peer-network of academic scientific institutions, scientific associations, scientists, technical experts and NGOs from provider and user countries. Its goal is to increase the visibility of academia as a stakeholder in the negotiations for the International Regime.
GenEquiFair emphasizes the irreplaceable value of the biodiversity for the survival and wellbeing of humans on this planet.
GenEquiFair considers academic research as critical for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. It is committed to cooperate to this end.
GenEquiFair stresses that a great part of biodiversity-related research is non-commercial although it is aware that results of academic research may lead to commercial products at a later stage.
Concerned, the participants notice a lack of certainty in the ABS procedures that severely hampers academic research activities.
GenEquiFair emphasizes that mutual trust is critical for creating win-win situations between providers and users of biological resources.
For these reasons it appeals to the governments of all Contracting Parties to the CBD:
- Take into account the differences between commercial and academic non-commercial research when shaping the rules and procedures to implement the ABS system.
- Facilitate access for academic non-commercial research by clearly assigning competent institutions and to strengthen fast, simple and transparent procedures on the national and international levels.
- Integrate scientists in the elaboration of the respective rules and procedures, as well as in the evaluation of access applications.
- Build up trust by informing the scientific community about the requirements of the ABS system in user and provider countries.
For these reasons the group appeals to scientists and scientific institutions:
- Be aware of and recognize the bioethical obligations that reflect the CBD/ABS principles and build up an appropriate research policy and practice.
- Follow best practices in ABS when conducting research and monitor its implementation.
- The results of basic research must not be transferred to commercial research without PIC/MAT of the provider.
GenEquiFair is committed to contributing to the achievement of these goals.
http://abs.scnat.ch
List of participants to the GenEquiFair meeting, 15th May 2008, Bonn, Germany
Dr. Susette Biber-Klemm (susette.biber-klemm@unibas.ch), Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT, Berne, Switzerland
Dr. Lars Björk (Lars.Bjork@ebc.uu.se), Swedish Scientific Council for Biological Diversity, Stockholm, Sweden
Amandine Bled (bled.amandine@gmail.com), Institut du développement durable et des relations internationals Iddri, Paris, France
Daniel Klein (daniel.klein@iucn.org), IUCN Environmental Law Centre, Bonn, Germany
Isabel Lapeña (ilapena@spda.org.pe), Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental, Lima, Peru
Sylvia Martínez MSc. (sylvia.martinez@unibas.ch), Swiss Biodiversity Forum, Swiss Academy of Sciences SCNAT, Berne, Switzerland
Prof. Dr. Gabriel Ricardo Nemogá Soto (grnemogas@unal.edu.co), Universitad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá D.C.- Colombia
Dr. Lily Rodríguez (rodriguez@gtz-rural.org.pe), Programa de Desarrollo Rural Sostenible, GTZ, Moyobamba, Perú
Milena Roudna (Milena_Roudna@env.cz), Ministry of the environment, Prague, Czech Republic
Prof. Dr. Christoph Scheidegger, (Christoph.Scheidegger@wsl.ch), International Union of Biological Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
Prof. Dr. iur. Peter-Tobias Stoll (pstoll@gedg.de), Institute for International Law and European Law, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany
Dr. Carl-Gustaf Thornstrom (Carl-Gustaf.Thornstrom@cbm.slu.se), Swedish Biodiversity Centre, Uppsala, Sweden
Prof. Dr. Per Wramner (per.wramner@sh.se), Coastal Management Research Centre (COMREC), Huddinge, Sweden
