Highlights and images for 15 March 2017

Italy

Summary

On Wednesday, the Working Group held text-based negotiations on the third draft revised Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA) in morning, afternoon and evening sessions.

Participants addressed SMTA provisions on, among others: the rights and obligations of the recipient of material from the Multilateral System; obligations in cases of transfers of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture under development; and options regarding payments from commercialization in cases the product is available or not for further research and breeding. They debated whether the subscription system should be the only access mechanism or alternative access mechanisms should be retained; and addressed SMTA annexes on: the list of materials provided; rates and modalities of payment arising from commercialization; terms and conditions of the subscription system; and the registration form to the subscription system.

A lunch-time side event organized by the ITPGRFA Secretariat, in collaboration with the Center of Science, Technology and Environmental Policy Studies at Arizona State University, aimed at generating knowledge and improving understanding of issues around access and use of genetic information, and the related technological, institutional and legal landscapes.

IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) Meeting Coverage, provided digital coverage and a summary and analysis report from OWG-EFMLS-6, which is available in HTML and PDF.

Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis
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From L-R: Tobias Kiene, ITPGRFA Secretariat; Álvaro Toledo, ITPGRFA Secretariat; Bert Visser, Working Group Co-Chair; and Javad Mozafari, Working Group Co-Chair

Daniele Manzella, ITPGRFA Secretariat, with Kathryn Garforth, CBD Secretariat

View of the dais during the morning session

François Meienberg, Civil Society

Thomas Meier, European Region

Felicitas Katepa-Mupondwa, North America Region

Pierre du Plessis, Africa Region

José Francisco Montenegro Valls, Latin America and the Caribbean Region

Bert Visser, Working Group Co-Chair

Tamira Ford, South West Pacific Region

Guy Kastler, Farmers Organizations

Kuldeep Singh, Asia Region

Cheikh Alassane Fall, Africa Region

Catherine Karr-Colque, North America Region

Patricia Larbouret, European Region

Michael Halewood, CGIAR Consortium

Ali Chehade, Near East Region

Akio Yamamoto, Asia Region

Javad Mozafari, Working Group Co-Chair

Side Event: The Technological, Institutional and Legal Landscapes of Genetic Information: Research Directions for the International Treaty

From L-R: Carlos Correa, Chair of the event; Kent Nnadozie, ITPGRFA Secretary Ad-Interim; Irene Hoffman, CGRFA Secretariat; and Kathryn Garforth, CBD Secretariat

Todd Kuiken, North Carolina State University

Carlos Correa, Chair of the event

Eric Welch, Arizona State University

Sélim Louafi, CIRAD (Agricultural Research for Development)

Margo Bagley, Emory University

View of the room during the side event

Around the Venue

Participants

Non-state coalitions
Farmers