OO. 6.3 Develop mechanisms to enhance cooperation between focal points for ABS issues

Access and benefit-sharing is a major CBD issue, but the issue of trade with genetic resources is also of concern for other forums.

The 3 most important international forums addressing ABS issues are:

• The Food and Agriculture Organisation (International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Phytosanitary agreements)
• The World Trade Organisation (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights - TRIPS - agreement)
• The World Intellectual Property Organisation and in particular its Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore.

Better cooperation between CBD and these forums is necessary to improve effective implementation and ensure coherent and consistent positions in these forums.

There is also a link between CBD and CITES on ABS issues. This was highlighted during the Expert Workshop Promoting CITES-CBD Cooperation and Synergy (Vilm, Germany, April 2004). As underlined by the workshop: "It is critical for CITES implementation authorities and CBD-related authorities to have a full understanding of ABS issues and how they might be affected by CITES implementation and vice versa". A better understanding of ABS issues will ensure that decisions taken under CITES are compatible with the obligations of the CBD and vice versa and will avoid misunderstandings or misinterpretations.