The Nagoya Protocol obliges contracting parties to make sure that the use of genetic resources in their territory is carried out in compliance with applicable provisions on Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS).  In the EU, user controls are subject to common rules laid down in Regulation (EU) No. 511/2014.

The newly issued guidance document (C (2020) 8759) is the result of an extensive consultation and discussion process by the EU Commission. It was drawn up with the involvement of ABS experts from the member states as well as associations and representatives of various user groups. It contains the guidelines published in 2016 on the scope and core obligations of Regulation (EU) No. 511/2014, supplemented by new detailed information. The extensive new Annex II, for example, provides more details on how the concept of use is to be applied in different constellations or how the country of origin of genetic resources is to be determined in cases in which resources are not obtained directly from nature in a country of origin. Furthermore, the Annex provides sector-specific information.

More information on our webpage under Access and Benefit Sharing, EU ABS Regulation.