Implementing regulation 2015/1866 - Detailed rules for the implementation of Regulation 511/2014 as regards the register of collections, monitoring user compliance and best practices - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 275/4

Regulation (EU) No 511/2014 establishes rules governing compliance with access and benefit-sharing for genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources in accordance with the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity (the ‘Nagoya Protocol’). The effective implementation of that Regulation will also contribute to the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Articles 5 and 8 of Regulation (EU) No 511/2014 provide for voluntary tools, namely registered collections and best practices, to assist users in complying with their due diligence obligation. Identifying and registering collections which effectively apply measures that result in supplying genetic resources and related information only with documentation providing evidence of legal access and ensuring the establishment of mutually agreed terms, where required, is expected to assist users in complying with that obligation. Users which obtain genetic resources from a collection included in the register should be considered to have exercised due diligence as regards the seeking of information. Identifying and recognising as best practices measures that are particularly suitable for achieving compliance with the system of implementation of the Nagoya Protocol, at an affordable cost and with legal certainty, is also expected to assist users in fulfilling the due diligence obligation. The effective implementation of a recognized best practice by users should be considered by the competent authorities in their checks on user compliance. In order to ensure uniform conditions for the implementation of those provisions, detailed rules are required regarding the procedures to be followed in the case of a request for registration of a collection or part thereof and regarding recognition of best practices.

Where an applicant wishing to be included in the register is a member of a network of collections, it is useful that such applicant provides information on any other collections or parts thereof from the same network that were or are the subject of an application in other Member States. In order to facilitate the fair and consistent treatment of applicants in different Member States, when verifying the collections or parts thereof, the competent authorities of the Member States that have been made aware of such applications in relation to different collections or parts thereof within a network should consider exchanging information with the authorities of those Member States in which applications have been made by other members of the network.

Regulation (EU) No 511/2014 applies to genetic resources and to traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources. The material for the utilisation of which a due diligence declaration is required includes:...