Background
The aims of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. At the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2010, the Nagoya Protocol governing access to genetic resources and fair and equitable sharing of their use was adopted.
In the EU, the Nagoya Protocol is implemented by Regulation (EU) No 511/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on compliance measures for users from the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization in the Union (also called the ABS Regulation).
This Regulation entered into force in October 2014. On 12 October 2015, one year after its entry into force, the Regulation’s provisions on the obligations of users of genetic resources began to apply within the EU.
Sweden ratified the Nagoya Protocol September the 6, 2016 and became a full member on December 7, 2016. Since the 1 of October there is an ordinance in Sweden on the use of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge (SFS 2016: 858). The ordinance provide provisions and obligations in Sweden in regards to the Nagoya protocol and the EU ABS legislation.
Implementation of the ABS Regulation in Sweden
In February 2015, the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency was given the commission by the Government of Sweden to prepare for the implementation of the EU Regulation 511/2014 (ABS Regulation) on the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. A report on this commission was presented on 31 March 2016.
In January 2016 the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency was appointed as the single authority i.e. the only competent authority in Sweden, CNA. It is the responsibility of the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency to review and check due diligence declarations of users. For more information on what it means see the text under the heading Declaring due diligence, on the webbpage "Using genetic resources from other countries". The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency is also responsible for verifying applications for registration of collections and making regular checks on these.