Notification 2006-031

Dear Madam/Sir, The purpose of this Notification is to invite indigenous and local communities, industry, research institutions/academia, botanical gardens, other ex situ collection holders, and representatives from relevant international organisations and agreements interested in the issue of access and benefit-sharing within the framework of the Convention on Biological Diversity to nominate experts for the meeting of the group of technical experts on an internationally recognized certificate of origin/source/legal provenance in the context of decision VIII/5 C of the Conference of the Parties. At its eighth meeting held in Curitiba, Brazil, the Conference of the Parties decided, in decision VIII/5 C, paragraph 1, “to establish a group of technical experts to explore and elaborate possible options, without prejudging their desirability, for the form, intent and functioning of an internationally recognised certificate of origin/source/legal provenance and analyse its practicality, feasibility, costs and benefits, with a view to achieving the objectives of Article 15 and 8(j) of the Convention. The Expert Group shall provide technical input to the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing and will operate in accordance with the following terms of reference: a) consider the possible rationale, objectives and the need for an internationally recognised certificate of origin/source/legal provenance; b) define the potential characteristics and features of different options of such an internationally recognised certificate; c) analyse the distinctions between the options of certificate of origin/source/legal provenance and the implications of each of the options for achieving the objectives of Article 15 and 8(j) of the Convention; d) identify associated implementation challenges, including the practicality, feasibility, costs and benefits of the different options, including mutual supportiveness and compatibility with the Convention and other international agreements.” In paragraph 2 of the same decision, the Conference of the Parties also decided “that the group of experts shall be regionally balanced and composed of 25 experts nominated by Parties and 7 observers from, inter alia, indigenous and local communities, industry, research institutions/academia, botanical gardens, other ex situ collection holders and representatives from relevant international organisations and agreements, and requests the Executive Secretary to recommend the list of selected experts and observers for the approval of the Bureau. In light of the above and in preparation for the meeting, which is planned to be held in the last quarter of 2006, indigenous and local communities, industry, research institutions/academia, botanical gardens, other ex situ collection holders, and representatives from relevant international organisations and agreements interested to be considered for inclusion in the expert group as observers, are hereby invited to submit nominations to the Secretariat at their earliest convenience but no later than 1 August 2006. Based on the nominations received, the Executive Secretary will recommend 7 observers for the approval of the Bureau for participation in the meeting. Details regarding the date and venue of the meeting will be made available in due course.

Executive Secretary

To: Indigenous and local communities and relevant international organizations and stakeholders