Mapping the ABS Legislation in China
Prof. QIN Tianbao
School of Law, Wuhan University

Friday, 25 June 2010
Tokyo, JapanOUTLINE
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1. Shortcomings of current laws on ABS



2. Framework of the legislation on ABS

3. Key points of the legislation on ABS

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1. Shortcomings of current laws onABS
1.1 Deficiency of Administrative SystemDecentralization:- no centralized ministry- mostly at provincial and local levelIndirect administration- species level- scientific organizations

3

1. Shortcomings of current laws on ABS

1.2 Legal vacuum:

Seed LawWildlife Protection Law
Wild Plant Protection Regulations
Husbandry Law


No comprehensive and specific ABS legislation42

1. Shortcomings of current laws on ABS
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1.2 Legal vacuum:

missing of legislations for certain types of genetic resourcesmarine biological genetic resource microbial genetic resource flower plants genetic resource genetic resource of wild fauna with economic value
 new microbial species5

1. Shortcomings of current laws onABS

1.3 Defective legal rulesContents: non-listed species; no benefit-sharing

Right and duty: ownership; stakeholders

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Administration: ABS, PIC

Implementation: General, vague, weak enforcement63

2. Structure of the legislation onABS
2.1 Considerations

Contents: conservation, access, BS, transferElements of Legal Instrument



Past Legislation practices

Experiences of other countries and international
negotiation
7

Structure of the legislation onABS


2.2 Table of Contents
1.

General provision2.

Institutional Arrangement

3.

Conservation of biological genetic resources

4.

Access to biological genetic resources5.

Benefit sharing

6.

Transportation, import and export

7.

Legal liability

8.

Supplementary provisions84

3. Key points of the legislation onABS


3.1 Objectives
To promote the conservation and sustainable use of biological genetic
resources ；To regulate the access to biological genetic resources；

To ensure the fair and equitable benefit sharing of biological geneticresources；

To achieve social and economic sustainable development

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3. Key points of the legislation onABS


3.2 Fundamental principles
effective conservationsustainable usescientific managementfair and equitable benefit sharing105

3. Key points of the legislation onABS

3.3 Legal Hierarchy

The future legislation on ABS law should take theform of MINISTERIAL RULES with the title of‘Regulation of the People’s Republic of China on theManagement of Biological Genetic Resources’

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3. Key points of the legislation onABS

3.4 Institutional Arrangement
Guideline: keep the Status quo of existing division ofauthorities among relevant departments
 Principle: Unified Coordination with Respective
Administration
 Competence：
 MEP：mainly coordinator MOA、SFA：competent authorities
126

3. Key points of the legislation onABS


3.5 Coordination, consultation and Management Bodies

3.5.1 Coordination Body: National ABS CommitteeCoordination;
 Planning Identification and monitoring Lists
 Capacity building International cooperation
 Others

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3. Key points of the legislation onABS


3.5.2 Consultation Body: Subsidiary Committee on Scienceand Technology (SCST)
To provide scientific supports and advices



3.5.3 Management Body
National ABS Office under the Ministry of Environmental
Protection of P. R. China147

3. Key points of the legislation onABS
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3.6 Approval procedure on ABS Application
 Consultation (SCST) Review
 Approval

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3. Key points of the legislation onABS

3.7 academic and commercial access (only forChinese)academic access: application-registration at provinciallevel commercial access: written application-review(provincial level)-approval (state level) Change of purpose: re-application
168

3. Key points of the legislation onABS

3.8 Access by foreigners
Written application to National Commission; export
application when applied

Cooperative R&D between Chinese and foreigners
included17

3. Key points of the legislation onABS

3.9 Benefit sharingContract on ABS between the applicant andcompetent authority



Exemption: domestic academic access

Monetary or Non-monetary benefits

Balance between users and providers

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Key points of the legislation on ABS3.10 Interests of local communities
Guideline：local governments at the level of village
township as representative of communities
 Prior informed consent (PIC) of local government A fixed proportion of benefits directly given to localcommunities
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Questions and Comments?
ありがとう！

Thanks!
2010

Contact InformationProfessor of Biodiversity and Biotechnology Law
 Assistant Dean, School of Law, Wuhan University
 Member, IUCN Commission of Environmental Law
 Member, IUCN Academy of Environmental Law –Committee on Teaching and Capacity Building Tel： +86 27 6875 3694
 Fax：+86 27 6875 2091
 Email: tianbaoq@hotmail.com
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