Article 8j - Traditional knowledge and related provisions

Release date	09/02/2006

103-What is the relative priority afforded to implementation of this Article and the associated decisions by your country?
High
Medium
Low	X
104-To what extent are the resources available adequate for meeting the obligations and recommendations made?
Good
Adequate
Limiting
Severely limiting	X

Further comments on relative priority and on availability of resources

Belgium does not consider that there are indigenous and local communities within the meaning of the CBD in Belgium. Therefore some of these questions are inappropriate for answer or are answered in our capacity as Party to the CBD upholding the principles that the CBD has so far identified. In the Walloon Region, there are no traditional knowledge as intended by the CBD. However, some traditional and naturalist knowledge are still linked to rural lifestyles. They tend to progressively vanish because of the disappearance of those lifestyles.

105-Has your country undertaken measures to ensure that the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities embodying traditional lifestyles relevant for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity are respected, preserved and maintained?
no measures	X
some measures in place
potential measures under review
comprehensive measures in place
106-Is your country working to encourage the equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of such knowledge, innovations and practices?
no	X
early stages of development
advanced stages of development
programme or policy in place

Decision III/4 and Decision IV/9. Implementation of Article 8(j)

107-Has your country developed national legislation and corresponding strategies for the implementation of Article 8(j)?
no	X
early stages of development
advanced stages of development
legislation or other measures in place
108-Has your country supplied information on the implementation of Article 8(j) to other Contracting Parties through media such as the national report?
no
yes - previous national report
yes - CHM	X
yes - other means (please give details below)

(108) In the frame of the CHM-partnership between Belgium and some African countries, information on the implementation of Article 8(j) in those countries can be found via their CHM website hosted on the Belgian CHM server.

109-Has your country submitted case-studies to the Executive Secretary on measures taken to develop and implement the Convention's provisions relating to indigenous and local communities?
no	X
yes
110-Is your country participating in appropriate working groups and meetings?
none
some	X
all

(110) Two Belgian delegates were present at WG8J-1 (March 2000, Sevilla). The Belgian Federal State takes part to the sessions of the Intergovernmental Committee of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation) on intellectual property relating to genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore.

111-Is your country facilitating the active participation of representatives of indigenous and local communities in these working groups and meetings?
no	X
yes

Decision V/16. Article 8(j) and related provisions

112-Has your country reviewed the programme of work specified in the annex to the decision, and identified how to implement those tasks appropriate to national circumstances?
no	X
under review
yes (please provide details)
113-Is your country integrating such tasks into its ongoing programmes, taking into account the identified collaboration opportunities?
no	X
not appropriate to national circumstances
yes - to a limited extent
yes - to a significant extent
114-Is your country taking full account of existing instruments, guidelines, codes and other relevant activities in the implementation of the programme of work?
no	X
not appropriate to national circumstances
yes - to a limited extent
yes - to a significant extent
115-Has your country provided appropriate financial support for the implementation of the programme of work?
no	X
not appropriate to national circumstances
yes - to a limited extent
yes - to a significant extent
116-Has your country fully incorporated women and women's organisations in the activities undertaken to implement the programme of work contained in the annex to the decision and other relevant activities under the Convention?
no
yes	X

(116) Biodiversity related activities in Belgium are open to all.

117-Has your country taken measures to facilitate the full and effective participation of indigenous and local communities in the implementation of the Convention?
no	X
not appropriate to national circumstances
yes - to a limited extent
yes - to a significant extent
118-Has your country provided case studies on methods and approaches concerning the preservation and sharing of traditional knowledge, and the control of that information by indigenous and local communities?
no
not relevant
yes - sent to the Secretariat
yes - through the national CHM
yes - available through other means (please specify)	X

(118) A study on ethnobotany and traditional practices was elaborated. The programme APFT (Avenir des Peuples des Forêts Tropicales, 1997-2000) was carried out as a collaboration between Belgium (Université Libre de Bruxelles and Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques de Gembloux), France (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) and the United Kingdom (University of Kent) under the financial assistance of the European Commission. A book was subsequently produced ('Des Forêts et des Hommes', Editions de l'Université Libre de Bruxelles, 2001). The main goal of the APFT programme was to study and report the daily life of forest communities at the end of the 20th century. Changes in the way of life of those communities were assessed and some questions on tropical forests and their populations were adressed as objectively as possible. This work was undertaken with the view of providing decision-makers and donor agencies with a sound background for the development of viable and serene political, economical and cultural systems as well as for a sensible conservation of biodiversity.

119-Does your country exchange information and share experiences regarding national legislation and other measures for the protection of the knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities?
no	X
not relevant
yes - through the CHM
yes - with specific countries
yes - available through other means (please specify)
120-Has your country taken measures to promote the conservation and maintenance of knowledge, innovations, and practices of indigenous and local communities?
no	X
not relevant
some measures
extensive measures
121-Has your country supported the development of registers of traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous and local communities, in collaboration with these communities?
no	X
not relevant
development in progress
register fully developed
122-Have representatives of indigenous and local community organisations participated in your official delegation to meetings held under the Convention on Biological Diversity?
not relevant	X
not appropriate
yes
123-Is your country assisting the Secretariat to fully utilize the clearing-house mechanism to co-operate closely with indigenous and local communities to explore ways that enable them to make informed decisions concerning release of their traditional knowledge?
no	X
awaiting information on how to proceed
yes
124-Has your country identified resources for funding the activities identified in the decision?
no	X
not relevant
partly
fully

Further comments on implementation of this Article

(general) Some traditional knowledge was collected in Belgium during countryside investigations concerning traditional fruit uses, specific landraces and plant multiplication techniques.