The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing

Intergovernmental Committee

At the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, in decision X/1, Parties decided to establish an Open-ended Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee (ICNP) for the Nagoya Protocol on ABS as an interim governing body for the Nagoya Protocol until the first meeting of the Parties to the Protocol at which time it will cease to exist. The ICNP shall undertake, with the support of the Executive Secretary, the preparations necessary for the first meeting of the Parties to the Protocol.

Parties agreed that the ICNP should meet twice during the inter-sessional period. The first meeting of the ICNP was held from 5 to 10 June 2011 and the second meeting was held from 2 to 6 July 2012 in New Delhi, India. A work plan, as contained in Annex II of decision X/1, was endorsed for the ICNP and contains issues for consideration by the ICNP at its first and second meetings.

At the eleventh meeting of the Conference of the Parties, in decision XI/1, Parties decided to reconvene the Intergovernmental Committee for a third meeting to address outstanding issues in its work plan in preparation for the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Protocol. It also decided that the following additional issues should be address by the Intergovernmental Committee, at its third meeting:

  1. Monitoring and reporting (Article 29);
  2. Exchange of views on the development, updating and use of sectoral and cross-sectoral model contractual clauses, voluntary codes of conduct, guidelines and best practices and/or standards (Article 19 and 20); and
  3. Exchange of views on the state of implementation of the Nagoya Protocol.


First meeting of the Open-ended Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (ICNP)

5-10 June 2011, Montreal, Canada

The ICNP made recommendations on the following issues:

  • Recommendation 1/1
    The modalities of operation of the Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing-House
  • Recommendation 1/2
    Measures to assist in capacity-building, capacity development and strengthening of human resources and institutional capacities in developing countries and Parties with economies in transition
  • Recommendation 1/3
    Measures to raise awareness of the importance of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge
  • Recommendation 1/4
    Cooperative procedures and institutional mechanisms to promote compliance with the Protocol and address cases of non-compliance

Meeting Website Final Report and meeting documents


Second meeting of the Open-ended Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (ICNP)

2 to 6 July 2012, New Delhi, India

The ICNP made recommendations on the following issues:

  • Recommendation 2/1
    Elaboration of guidance for the financial mechanism
  • Recommendation 2/2
    Guidance for resource mobilization for the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing
  • Recommendation 2/3
    The need for and modalities of a global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism (Article 10)
  • Recommendation 2/4
    Modalities of operation of the Access and Benefit-sharing Clearing house
  • Recommendation 2/5
    Measures to assist in capacity-building, capacity development and strengthening of human resources and institutional capacities in developing countries and Parties with economies in transition
  • Recommendation 2/6
    Measures to raise awareness of the importance of the genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, and related access and benefit-sharing issues
  • Recommendation 2/7
    Cooperative procedures and institutional mechanisms to promote compliance with the protocol and to address cases of non compliance
  • Recommendation 2/8
    Other matters

Meeting Website Final Report and Meeting documents


Third meeting of the Open-ended Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Committee for the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing (ICNP)

24 to 28 February 2014, Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea

The ICNP made recommendations on the following issues:

  • Recommendation 3/1
    Consideration of rules of procedure for meetings of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol (Article 26, paragraph 5)
  • Recommendation 3/2
    Draft provisional agenda for the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol
  • Recommendation 3/3
    The need for and modalities of a global multilateral benefit-sharing mechanism (Article 10)
  • Recommendation 3/4
    Modalities of operation of the Access and Benefit-Sharing Clearing House (Article 14, paragraph 4)
  • Recommendation 3/5
    Measures to assist in capacity-building and development and the strengthening of human resources and institutional capacities in developing country Parties and Parties with economies in transition
  • Recommendation 3/6
    Cooperative procedures and institutional mechanisms to promote compliance with the Protocol and to address cases of non-compliance, including procedures and mechanisms to offer advice and assistance, where appropriate (Article 3
  • Recommendation 3/7
    Monitoring and reporting (Article 29)
  • Recommendation 3/8
    Information and views on the development, updating and use of sectoral and cross-sectoral model contractual clauses, voluntary codes of conduct, guidelines, best practices and standards

Meeting Website Final Report and Meeting documents