The seventh meeting of the Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group on Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is being held from 2-8 April 2009, at UNESCO headquarters, in Paris, France.

The meeting continues the negotiation of an international regime on ABS, focusing on operational text on the objective, scope, compliance, fair and equitable sharing, and access.
In accordance with decision IX/12 of the Conference of the Parties (COP), the Working Group is instructed “to finalize the international regime and to submit for consideration and adoption by the Conference of the Parties at its tenth meeting an instrument/instruments to effectively implement the provisions in Article 15 and Article 8(j) of the Convention and its three objectives, without in any way prejudging or precluding any outcome regarding the nature of such instrument/instruments.” COP 10 will be held from 18-29 October 2010, in Nagoya, Japan.
Link to further information
IISD RS coverage of the meeting