Contractual Regulation of Access to Information on Biodiversity for Scientific and Commercial Use : The Novartis-UZACHI Biolead Project : Diplomarbeit, ETH Zürich

Zürich

2003

131 S.

zahlr. Lit. Ang.

Bandaufführung

3-907648-04-8

124767

This study deals with the question of access, property, use, benefit-sharing and protection of genetic information of plants having a high potential market value. On an international level, the Convention on Biological Diversity has been developed to stop the rapid loss of biodiversity (international regime), while there are also bottom-up approaches where communities negotiate with bio-prospecting multinational firms. The paper provides the analysis of a success story in Mexico, where Sandoz (today Novartis), a Swiss multinational chemical company, concluded a contract with four Mexican Communities on the access and use of micro-fungi. The process leading to the conclusion of the contract will be studied as well as questions such as the appropriate consideration of local people and the access and benefit-sharing. The paper will finally conclude on conditions indispensable for a successful completion of bio-prospecting agreements.