EU Enforcement of the Nagoya Protocol on Use of Genetic Resources

Strict EU rules enforce compliance with the principles on access and benefit sharing under the Nagoya Protocol. The rules affect all companies doing research on genetic resources, such as plants, bacteria and viruses, and related traditional knowledge. They in particular are relevant for the pharmaceutical, medical devices, cosmetics, biocides and foods industries, as well as plant and animal breeders. Compliance needs to be documented as from the beginning of the research. This alert provides a brief overview of the rules and their practical impact.