A comprehensive overview of laws and policies relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Belgium, can be found on the website of the Belgian Clearing House Mechanism.

The legislation is enforced in Flanders by the Nature & Forest Agency (Agentschap voor Natuur & Bos, ANB). Please contact Egbert Jacquemyn for further details.

Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) Regulation in the EU

• Introduction to ABS within the framework of EU Biodiversity Policy
• EU ABS legislation: designated Competent Authorities, best practices, register of collections, guidance documents, implementation and enforcement, …
• EU’s own background material and links, including a glossary and link to a ‘Survey of Model Contractual Clauses, Codes of Conduct, Guidelines, Best Practices and Standards’ by the United Nations University

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

• General CBD website
• Text of the CBD
• Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) and the Nagoya Protocol
• Text of the Nagoya Protocol
• Parties to the Nagoya Protocol
• ABS Clearing House (for updated information on compliance)

Lots of excellent online resources, publications and personal conversations on the Nagoya Protocol and ABS have been used as a foundation for this website. Permissions for re-use and adaptation have always been sought, and granted.