TAIWAN'S ACCESS TO GENETIC RESOURCES AND BENEFIT

UNCLAS TAIPEI 000094

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/RSP/TC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV TBIO EAID EAGR ESTH
SUBJECT: TAIWAN'S ACCESS TO GENETIC RESOURCES AND BENEFIT
SHARING ENVIRONMENT

REF: SECSTATE 269625

In response to reftel, AIT's EST section has researched
Taiwan's legal framework for access to genetic resources and
benefit sharing (abs). Taiwan is neither a member of the
United Nations nor a party to the Convention on Biological
Diversity. To date, Taiwan also has no laws specifically
addressing abs issues. That being said, Taiwan is currently
looking into establishing abs rules. Taiwan's National
Science Council (NSC) has engaged several professors and
experts to research and report on the ethical, legal, and
social implications of abs. NSC is also planning to work with
several research institutions to hold a number of workshops
and symposia over the next few years to consider establishing
a comprehensive abs legal framework. In the meantime,
according to a professor working at Academia Sinica, Taiwan's
premier scientific organization, Taiwan's research
institutions are relying on Taiwan's strict endangered
species laws to protect access to those species. Academia
Sinica also encourages foreign researchers to collaborate
with local scientists when doing research in Taiwan and urges
those collaborators to return specimens to Taiwan after their
research is published.
PAAL