• GNP HuB
    • About
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  • ABS
    • Understanding the ABS world – infographic
    • Build your ABS Strategy – checklist
    • Benefit-sharing
    • Video: Nagoya For Newbies
    • ABS – dealing with practical challenges
    • Tools & Resources for ABS
    • ABS Stories
  • Compliance
    • Video: ABS compliance supports your science
    • Do I have compliance obligations?
    • What are my obligations?
    • Tools & Resources for Compliance
    • User checks
    • Implications of non-compliance
  • Your institution
    • Institutional measures for compliance – infographic
    • Guidelines for institutions
    • Who can I contact at my institution?
    • Registered collections
    • Compliance Stories
  • FAQs and more
    • FAQ
    • Mythbusters
    • Acronyms and terms explained
    • Current issues
  • Contact
  • German
Nagoyaprotocol-hubNagoyaprotocol-hub
  • GNP HuB
    • About
    • Network
    • Library
    • Podcasts
    • Help Desk
    • News
    • Calendar
  • ABS
    • Understanding the ABS world – infographic
    • Build your ABS Strategy – checklist
    • Benefit-sharing
    • Video: Nagoya For Newbies
    • ABS – dealing with practical challenges
    • Tools & Resources for ABS
    • ABS Stories
  • Compliance
    • Video: ABS compliance supports your science
    • Do I have compliance obligations?
    • What are my obligations?
    • Tools & Resources for Compliance
    • User checks
    • Implications of non-compliance
  • Your institution
    • Institutional measures for compliance – infographic
    • Guidelines for institutions
    • Who can I contact at my institution?
    • Registered collections
    • Compliance Stories
  • FAQs and more
    • FAQ
    • Mythbusters
    • Acronyms and terms explained
    • Current issues
  • Contact
  • German

Our Library

Slide Welcome to the GNP HuB library!

Here you can find the Publications and reports of the GNP HuB project.

Reports from our events

Workshop Reports

Here you can find all the reports from the German Nagoya Protocol HuB workshops.

1st German Nagoya Protocol HuB Workshop – June 2020

The first GNP HuB workshop was held in June 2020. The aim of this workshop was to:

  • raise awareness among the participants about the project
  • gain a better understanding of the experiences of the participants with ABS and their compliance obligations in the EU
  • know which information sources and tools they already use and which resources and tools may be needed
  • gain insight into how to communicate strategically with the scientific community about Nagoya Protocol compliance

You can find the final report here.

2nd German Nagoya Protocol HuB Workshop – July 2022

The GNP HuB project held a workshop with project partners and Network members. The main objective was to share ideas for the future materials and activities to be developed by the project to

  • Provide support for the user community
  • Create innovative solutions and instruments for ABS
  • Strengthen the ABS user community

Check out the final report here.

 

Reports from the regular meetings of the GNP HuB Network (Stammtisch)

Here you can find reports from meetings of the German Nagoya Protocol HuB Network (the “GNP HuB Stammtisch”).

Report of the 1st GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch) – September 2020

At this meeting, we launched the network and had a quiz about common questions on compliance in the European Union. Read the report here.

Report of the 2nd GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch) – December 2020

At this meeting, we exchanged on the Nagoya Protocol and what it means for document and sample management. Read the report here.

Report of the 3rd GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch) – March 2021

At this meeting, we focussed on dealing with practical ABS challenges. Read the report here.

Report of the 4th GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch) – September 2021

At this meeting, we simulated an ABS negotiation process together with the Taxon-Omics priority program. Read the report here.

Report of the 5th GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch) – December 2021

At this meeting, we talked about Digital Sequence Information (DSI) and the current state of international negotiations on the issue. Read the report here.

Report of the 6th GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch) – March 2022

At this meeting, we talked about the work of the German Research Foundation (DFG) and the experiences with the new DFG Guidelines. Read the report here.

Report of the 7th GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch) – June 2022

At this meeting, we talked about setting up Information Technologies (IT) systems for ABS and compliance, challenges and possible ways to move forward. Read the report here.

Report of the 8th GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch) – October 2022

At this meeting, we talked about international policy updates on ABS. Read the report here.

Report of the 9th GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch) – February 2023

At this meeting, we talked about the biggest achievement during COP15. Read the report here.

Report of the 10th GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch)- June 2023

At this meeting we shared real experiences on ABS in African countries. Read the report here.

Report of the 11th GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch)- January 2024

At this meeting we discussed ABS in grant applications and scientific publications. Read the report here.

Report of the 12th GNP HuB Network Meeting (Stammtisch)- September 2024

At this meeting ABS in Latin America was the main topic. Read the report here.

Other events

EU ABS Networking Event – 14 June 2021

On Monday, June 14, 2021 from 2-4:00 p.m. CEST, the German Nagoya Protocol HuB hosted an online EU ABS Networking Event together with the European Marine Biological Resource Centre, the Union for Ethical Biotrade, ABS-int, Dutch ABS National Focal Point (hosted by Wageningen University and Research), and the Natural History Museum London.

The event focused what has been done to support users with access and benefit-sharing (ABS) and compliance requirements, what is working well and what is left to be done. The report from this event can be found here.

Here you can download a copy of the impulse presentations (pdf) by Elizabeth Karger (Web-based resources and direct user support for academic researchers),  Chris Lyal (Institutional implementation & best practices) and Valerie Normand (ABS resources for business and industry and the UEBT approach to ABS).

Publications

Here you can find a publication in Trends in Biotechnology from the Leibniz Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures    “DSI, the Nagoya Protocol and Stakeholders’ concerns”.

 

Here you can find a contribution to the GfBS Newsletter (39-202) (in German only): Das Nagoya-was? Warum „Nichtwissen“ über das Nagoya-Protokoll, Zugang und Vorteilsausgleich und die Verordnung (EU) Nr. 511/2014 nicht mehr ausreicht.

Communication materials

Here you can download our flyer and our posters. If you are interested in having hard copies of these materials sent to your institute or university, just contact us.

GNP_HuB_Poster_Purple

GNP_HuB_Poster_Yellow

GNP_HuB_Poster_Red

The German Alliance ABS advisory platform for academic research is funded by members of the Alliance of Science Organisations. The project sponsoring members of the Alliance are the German Research Foundation (DFG), the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK), the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres (HGF), the Leibniz Association, the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Max Planck Society.

 

 

 

© 2025 · Nagoyaprotocol-hub. Impressum | Privacy Policy

  • Some countries also have ABS laws even though they are NOT Party to the Nagoya Protocol. You still must comply with these laws!
  • Some countries in the EU also have specific national ABS laws.
  • If your research will involve traditional knowledge, you must take into account the national ABS rules in this regard.

In cases of non-compliance the National Authority (BfN) can:

  • confiscate the material.
  • prohibit further use and transfer of the material for research.
  • prohibit the publication or sharing of any results of utilization.
  • issue a fine of up to 50,000 EUR.

Check out more about the implications of non-compliance.

How do I check?

  • Start with the country profile in the ABS Clearing House (ABSCH).
  • Check out the legislative, administrative or policy measures section. If no measures can be found here, the interim reports might also contain relevant information. Tip! filter by country.
  • Be careful though. This information is not always complete or up to date. Some countries have ABS laws but they are not listed in the ABSCH.

To play safe and ensure legal clarity, always contact the ABS national focal point and/or the competent national authority. Tip! filter by country.

No answer?

  • Try contacting the national focal point of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
  • Ask collaboration partners in the country for help – easier for them to contact the authorities in their own country and language!
  • Ask colleagues who have worked in that country before.
  • Use the internet to find resources.
  • Contact the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN). They have information about ABS and may be able to assist.

For research done in Germany, the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation recommends using the DECLARE portal.

An account is required. Check with your institution as it may already have one.

This video and the user guide are very useful to start!

Starting your project before ABS permits have been granted is a violation of the EU Regulation and can get you in trouble if your institute is being checked by the German National Authority (BfN)!

In this regard, you have obligations under the EU ABS Regulation if:

  • You collected the material…
  • The collaborator who gave you the material collected it…
  • The material obtained from a collection was originally collected…
  • The shop or company where you bought the material collected it…

on or after 12 October 2014

This date is key because it is when the Nagoya Protocol entered into force.

When you obtain material from a collaborator, collection or trader, it is important to verify if there are benefit-sharing obligations linked to it.

For example: research on specific genetic or biochemical properties, gene function, gene expression, genetic modification, genome editing, breeding based on traits and their associated genes, among others.

The EU Regulation does not apply when research does not involve the study of the genetic or biochemical composition, e.g. storing biological materials in a collection, mere culturing of organisms, taxonomic identification, morphological or anatomical characterization, among others.

See the guidance document for more information and examples on “utilisation”.

Also check our FAQs section on it.

ABS obligations may or may not apply depending on the type of research. There could be exemptions for non-commercial or basic research.

Keep in mind that exemptions for local researchers may not apply if they conduct their research abroad (e.g. guest researchers bring material from their home country to study it in Germany).

Within the European Union, obligations stem from Regulation (EU) No 511/2014.

The EU Guidance Document contains information on scope, obligations and understanding whether your material/research is covered, including many practical examples. It is available in all EU languages and is a must-have resource.

Not all countries that are Party to the Nagoya Protocol regulate access, e.g. Germany. In such cases, you are free to use the genetic resources obtained from these countries without getting ABS permits.

You are obliged by the EU and German law to support user checks by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation.

Failure to support a user check is an administrative offence.

When you transfer the material to another person or institution:

  • Search if there are ABS documents relating to the material you have.
  • Check if the transfer to third parties is permitted.
  • Transfer also the information, e.g. a copy of the ABS permit or the number of the internationally recognized certificate of compliance (IRCC) published on the ABS Clearing House.

Having a good documentation system will save you headaches in the future.

Read the documents and understand your obligations as well as any conditions and restrictions on use of the material.

Keep in mind your commitments on benefit-sharing!

The due diligence declaration informs the competent authority in Germany that your research and material is Nagoya Protocol relevant and that you have complied with your ABS obligations.

Check out more about it!

“Derivative” means a naturally occurring biochemical compound resulting from the genetic expression or metabolism of biological or genetic resources, even if it does not contain functional units of heredity.

Some examples are: RNA, proteins (including enzymes), lipids, organic compounds (e.g. essential oils or resins) and other products of metabolism.

Also check our FAQs section on it.

In this regard, you have obligations in the EU if the country where the material comes from was a Party to the Nagoya Protocol and had ABS regulations at the time of access.

Why is ABS important?

Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) measures ensure that research results support provider countries to:

  • Make informed decisions on conservation, sustainable use and management of their biodiversity.
  • Implement innovative solutions for productive activities, contributing to sustainable development.
  • Build capacities for national research.
  • Other benefits as agreed.

Even if ABS does not apply to your research project, you must be able to provide the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation with the documentation that supports your conclusion. This will speed up possible compliance checks. Tip! save email correspondence with the provider country authorities on this regard.

For some countries, this can be determined by checking the date of entry into force of the national ABS legislation and compare it with when the material was collected in the field.  If you collected before the legislation went into force, you could be out of scope. However, in some countries “access” can also mean receiving material from an ex-situ collection or even when you start to use it (even if it was collected and left the provider country long ago). Keep this in mind!

Some laws only cover certain types of organisms or organisms collected in certain areas.

Check when:

  • you collect material outside of Germany
  • a collaborator gives you material from another country
  • you get material from a collection in Germany
  • you buy material from a shop or a company
  • traditional knowledge from indigenous peoples or local communities will be used for your research