Biodiversity

The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that entered into force on 12 October 2014. It defines the international legal framework for access to and the utilisation of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge. It stipulates that the benefits arising from the utilisation of genetic resources should be shared fairly and equitably with the provider countries (Access to Genetic Resources and Benefit-Sharing, ABS). The Federal Republic of Germany has supported these objectives as a party to the Nagoya Protocol since 2016.

In Europe and Germany, the Protocol is implemented via Regulation (EU) No. 511/2014 of 16 April 2014, the Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1866 of 13 October 2015 and the act implementing the obligations arising from the Nagoya Protocol and Regulation (EU) No. 511/2014 (implementation act).

The Nagoya Protocol has direct significance for everyone who works with genetic resources from other countries – irrespective of whether for the purpose of fundamental research or the development of commercially relevant products.

On 16 May 2025, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf guideline on the handling of genetic resources and traditional knowledge within the framework of the Nagoya Protocol came into force. You will find the guideline in the download area.

The next information event on the Nagoya Protocol will take place on 6 June 2025 at 10:00 a.m. as an online seminar and is aimed at members of HHU. The link will be sent to you via e-mail in the week before the event. To register for this event, please send an e-mail to nicolas.remkeit(at)hhu.de.