On 23-27 January 2006, the 4th meeting of the "Ad Hoc Open-ended Inter-sessional Working Group on Article 8(j) and Related Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity" takes place in Granada, Spain. Item 10 of the provisional agenda is "Potential socio-economic impacts of genetic use restriction technologies on indigenous and local communities". Documents for the meeting are available at http://www.biodiv.org/doc/meeting.aspx?mtg=WG8J-04 (most are in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish) or contact [email protected] for more information. Article 8(j) of the Convention refers to traditional knowledge, innovations and practices and provides that: Each contracting Party shall, as far as possible and as appropriate: Subject to national legislation, respect, preserve and maintain knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity and promote their wider application with the approval and involvement of the holders of such knowledge, innovations and practices and encourage the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of such knowledge, innovations and practices.

03/12/2005