Highlights and images for 26 October 2019

Italy

Summary

Highlights for Saturday, 26 October 2019

Delegates from Latin America and the Caribbean conferring during a break in negotations

On Saturday, the Working Group addressed the Co-Chairs’ compromise proposal on a package of elements, including:

  • benefit-sharing payment rates under the single access and subscription systems;
  • clauses specifying, under both systems, that the benefit-sharing payment obligations reflect the value of information, including genetic sequence data, directly derived from or directly associated with the MLS material in question; and
  • a provision on the implementation and review of the enhanced Multilateral System (MLS).
  • Co-Chair Hoogeveen stressed the need for compromise on fundamental issues, highlighting that an enhanced MLS is part of the effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including global food security.Despite his efforts, the compromise proposal was not accepted as a basis for negotiations, with genetic sequence data being identified as the deal breaker. Norway expressed readiness to work on the basis of the proposal. North America, Australia, Japan, and Germany expressed concerns with regard to benefit-sharing from genetic sequence data. Africa, GRULAC, India, and other developing countries stressed that any agreement must include genetic sequence data. After brief consultations, Co-Chair Hoogeveen halted deliberations on the compromise proposal and called for a second reading of the revised SMTA and the draft resolution. Participants made numerous suggestions for additional text. Noting that “we have a crisis in our hands,” Co-Chair Hoogeveen proposed to hold informal consultations immediately prior to the Governing Body session, with one or two representatives from each region, to reach compromise on outstanding items. The Working Group agreed, and adopted the meeting’s report.Co-Chair Mozafari closed the meeting at 3:12 pm.

    IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, has provided daily web coverage and a summary and analysis report from the Resumed OWG-EFMLS-9. The summary and analysis report is now available in HTML and PDF.

    Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis

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    Hans Hoogeveen, Working Group Co-Chair
    Sunil Archak, Asia
    Yoshiko Motoyama, Asia
    Pierre du Plessis, Africa
    Catherine Karr-Colque, North America
    Mariem Omrani, Europe
    Axel Diederichsen, North America, and Imke Thormann, Europe
    Ali Chehade, Near East
    Federico Condón Priano, Latin America and the Caribbean
    Khaled Abulaila, Near East
    Axel Diederichsen, North America
    Lynda Hayden, Southwest Pacific
    From L-R: Stefano Mori, Antonio Onorati and Guy Kastler, Farmers' Organizations
    From L-R: Isabel López Noriega, Carolina Rodríguez, and Michael Halewood, CGIAR Consortium of International Agricultural Research Centers (CGIAR Consortium)
    Manrique Lucio Altavista, Latin America and the Caribbean
    Delegates from Europe conferring
    Imke Thormann, Europe
    José Valls, Latin America and the Caribbean
    Edward Hammond, Civil Society, and Michael Halewood, CGIAR Consortium
    Kent Nnadozie, ITPGRFA Secretary, conferring with delegates from Africa
    Renata Negrelly Nogueira and Teresa Agüero Teare, Latin America and the Caribbean
    Elsa Tsioumani, IISD Reporting Services, with Kent Nnadozie, ITPGRFA Secretary
    John Wasswa Mulumba, Africa

    Participants

    Negotiating blocs
    Latin American and Caribbean Group
    Non-state coalitions
    Farmers