26 February 2014: The Secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGR) is inviting parties to submit relevant information for studies on enhancing the function of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing (MLS).

In preparation for the Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group to Enhance the Functioning of the MLS, the Secretariat is inviting submissions for studies on the following issues: estimating income to be expected from possible changes in the functioning of the MLS; a policy and legal study on the feasibility and effects of such changes; how to enhance mechanisms for capacity-building, technology-transfer and information-exchange; factors that influence the willingness of stakeholder groups to make contributions to the Benefit-sharing Fund (BSF) and to access plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) from the MLS.

The Ad Hoc Open-Ended Working Group to Enhance the Functioning of the MLS was established by the fifth session of the ITPGR Governing Body to develop recommendations for measures to increase user-based payments and contributions to the BSF in a sustainable and predictable long-term manner, and to enhance the functioning of the MLS by additional measures. [ITPGR Notification]