The plenary of the CBD Working Group on Article 8(j) resumed on Wednesday morning. Co-Chair Kazuaki Hoshino (Japan) offered clarification on the participation of indigenous and local communities (ILCs) in the Working Group, stating that: in light of its mandate and in the spirit of partnership, the Working Group encourages the fullest participation possible of ILCs in all Working Group meetings, including in contact groups, and welcomes ILC representatives as friends of the Chairs, friends of the Bureau and Co-Chairs of contact groups; this well-established practice is without prejudice to the applicable rules of procedure of the Conference of the Parties, whereby representatives duly nominated by parties are responsible for the conduct of business; and therefore any text proposal by ILC representatives must be supported by at least one party.

Participants heard reports on Tuesday’s contact groups on Article 10(c) (customary sustainable use) and on Tasks 7, 10 and 12 (benefit-sharing from and unlawful appropriation of traditional knowledge) of the Multi-year Programme of Work, with the contact group on Article 10(c) requesting more time to complete its work.

Plenary then discussed: elements of sui generis systems for the protection of traditional knowledge; development of indicators relevant for traditional knowledge and customary sustainable use; and recommendations from the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

Plenary then took up draft recommendations on progress in the implementation of Article 8(j) and related provisions and on participatory mechanisms for ILCs under the CBD. The contact group on Article 10(c) on customary sustainable use reconvened in the afternoon and evening.