The Commission, at its Eighteenth Regular Session, takes note of a desktop survey of access and benefit-sharing (ABS) country measures accommodating the distinctive features of genetic resources for food and agriculture (Background Study Paper 70) and requests a report on the actual implementation of ABS measures and their effects on the utilization of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The Commission, at its Seventeenth Regular Session, welcomes the explanatory notes to the Elements to Facilitate Domestic Implementation of Access and Benefit-sharing for Different Subsectors of Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ABS Elements) prepared by the ABS Expert Team and the intergovernmental technical working groups.

The International Workshop on Access and Benefit-sharing for Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture identifies and raises awareness of the distinctive features and specific practices of subsectors of genetic resources for food and agriculture in the context of the ABS Elements.

The Commission, at its Fifteenth Regular Session, welcomes the ABS Elements, prepared jointly by the ABS Expert Team and the Commission’s intergovernmental technical working groups and requests further work with regard to the subsectors of genetic resources for food and agriculture. The FAO Conference at its Thirty-ninth Session welcomes the ABS Elements and invites Members to consider and, as appropriate, make use of them.

The Commission, at its Fourteenth Regular Session, replaces the Ad Hoc Working Group by the Team of Technical and Legal Experts on Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS Expert Team) to develop ABS Elements.

Publication of Background Study Paper No.59 Access and benefit-sharing for genetic resources for food and agriculture – current use and exchange practices, commonalities, differences and user community needs.. Report from a Multi-stakeholder expert dialogue, which reflects the discussions, findings and outcomes of the Multi-Stakeholder Expert Dialogue.

The Commission establishes the Ad Hoc Technical Working Group on Access and Benefit-Sharing for Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and mandates it to identify relevant distinctive features of the different sectors and subsectors of genetic resources for food and agriculture requiring distinctive solutions. The group is also given the task of developing options that will guide and assist countries in developing legislative, administrative and policy measures that accommodate these features.

The FAO Conference, at its Thirty-sixth Session, adopts Resolution 18/2009 on Policies and Arrangements for Access and Benefit-Sharing for Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, as submitted by the Commission at its Twelfth Regular Session. The resolution stresses the special nature of agricultural biodiversity and invites the Conference of the Parties to the CBD to allow for differential treatment of different sectors or subsectors of genetic resources, of different genetic resources for food and agriculture, of different activities and of different purposes for which activities are carried out.

Publication of Background Study Paper No.42 Framework study on food security and access and benefit-sharing for genetic resources for food and agriculture, which presents an analysis of existing national, regional and international legal and other instruments relating to access and benefit-sharing of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The Commission, at its Eleventh Regular Session, agrees on the importance of considering access and benefit-sharing in relation to all components of biodiversity for food and agriculture. It decides that work in this field should be an early task within its Multi-Year Programme of Work.

The Commission at its Tenth Regular Session recommends that FAO and the Commission contribute to further work on access and benefit-sharing in order to ensure that it moves in a direction supportive of the special needs of the agricultural sector in regard to all components of biological diversity of interest to food and agriculture.

Entry into force of the International Treaty

The FAO Conference, through Resolution 3/2001, adopts the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the first legally binding and operational international instrument for access and benefit-sharing for genetic resources.

The FAO Conference adopts Resolution 7/93 Revision of the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources. The revision will lead, in 2001, to the adoption of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.

The FAO Conference adopts Resolution 3/91 Annex 3 to the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources.

The FAO Conference adopts Resolution 4/89 Agreed Interpretation of the International Undertaking and Resolution 5/89 Farmers’ Rights.

The FAO Conference, through Resolution 3/83, adopts the International Undertaking on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which provides a policy and planning framework for the Commission with respect to plant genetic resources.