5 February 2015: In preparation for the ninth meeting of the Working Group on Article 8(j) (traditional knowledge) and related provisions, tentatively planned for November 2015, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has issued a notification calling for input from Parties, indigenous peoples and local communities, and relevant organizations on several items, including on repatriation of traditional knowledge, prior informed consent (PIC), and fair and equitable sharing of benefits from the use of traditional knowledge.

The ninth meeting of the CBD Working Group on Article 8(j) is tentatively planned to take place back to back with the nineteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA). Submissions are requested on: indicators relevant to traditional knowledge and customary sustainable use, in particular on status and trends in traditional occupations; views and best practices on the development of guidelines for the repatriation of traditional knowledge; community protocols, experiences and examples for the PIC or approval and involvement processes for access to traditional knowledge, and benefit-sharing; input on the in-depth dialogue on shared traditional knowledge; and the possible designation of a national focal point for Article 8(j).

The deadline for submissions is 1 April 2015. [CBD Notification] [CBD Webpage on Traditional Knowledge]