Summary
Delegates to the eighth session of the Governing Body (GB 8) of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA or Treaty) met in a morning plenary to exchange views on measures to enhance the functioning of the Multilateral System (MLS) of access and benefit-sharing.During an exchange of views on the report of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group to Enhance the Functioning of the MLS, divergent positions were expressed on, among other issues:
- addressing digital sequence information (DSI) or genetic sequence data as part of the revised Standard Material Transfer Agreement (SMTA), and providing for benefit-sharing obligations from the use of such data;
- expanding the list of crops in the MLS (Annex I of the Treaty); and,
- prioritizing the subscription system under the revised SMTA, or maintaining a possibility for single access to MLS material.
GB Chair Christine Dawson (US) encouraged parties to continue informal consultations, noting that the Bureau will discuss the way forward.In the afternoon, plenary addressed items related to the implementation and enhancement of the Funding Strategy. Delegates addressed:
- developed country finance-related obligations;
- user-based contributions to the Benefit-sharing Fund;
- the new funding strategy 2020-2025, including target ranges for the Benefit-sharing Fund, prepared by the Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on the Funding Strategy; and
- the status of the Committee on the Funding Strategy.
Informal consultations on the items were held in the evening.Discussions on the Global Information System focused on use of digital object identifiers (DOIs), including for tracking germplasm and related information. Plenary then addressed farmers’ rights, in particular an inventory of national measures, best practices, and lessons learned for their realization prepared by an Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group, as well as terms for extension of the expert group’s mandate. Discussions continued into the night.For more details on the day’s negotiations and to hear what delegates said in the corridors, see our daily Earth Negotiations Bulletin.
IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, is providing daily web coverage and daily reports from the 8th Session of the Governing Body. In addition, IISD Reporting Services published a summary and analysis report from the meeting, which is now available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Mike Muzurakis
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