Genetic resources play an increasing role in developing and producing food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. This may relate to plants, animals or parts thereof as well as microorganisms.
The Nagoya protocol is an international agreement that governs the utilization of such genetic resources and traditional knowledge linked to the resource.
This leaflet contains a brief description of the laws and regulations governing the collection and use of these genetic resources, who is considered to be a user? What is a genetic resource and associated traditional knowledge. What does it mean to declare due diligence.
The leaflet also sets out the most important steps that researchers and product developers need to take in order to meet their obligations.