The Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has continued talks on an international regime and agreed on a draft to serve as the basis for future negotiations.

Convened from 30 January to 3 February 2006, in Granada, Spain, the fourth meeting of the CBD Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on ABS followed the fourth meeting of the CBD Ad Hoc Open-ended Intersessional Working Group on Article 8(j) and related provisions. The meeting made some progress on the international regime, agreeing on a recommendation to the COP and a draft to serve as the basis for future negotiations.
This draft, although bracketed almost in its entirety, contains a structure and core issues that may allow for a more formalized negotiation process to take place at COP-8 and beyond. However, deep divisions remain among the key players on issues such as: the need for a new instrument and whether it should contain legally binding elements; the inclusion of derivatives and products of genetic resources; disclosure requirements in applications for intellectual property rights; and the participation of indigenous and local communities in the ABS negotiations. The recommendations of the Working Group will be submitted to CBD COP-8, to be held from 20-31 March 2006, in Curitiba, Brazil.
Link to further information
IISD coverage of the ABS meeting