News
DECLARE tool for due diligence declarations now open
This week, the EU-wide tool DECLARE has been opened for the submission of due diligence declarations by receivers of funding for research with genetic resources and/or traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources which is in the scope of the EU ABS Regulation.
Later this year, the tool will also be opened for due diligence declarations in the stage of final development of a product developed via the utilisation of genetic resources or traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources.
DECLARE is available on the European Commission data submission portal. You need to register at the EU first (EU login) and subsequently register for DECLARE. Check the user guide to find out how DECLARE works and how to submit a due diligence declaration.
For more information (in Dutch) on enforcement and the due diligence declarations, check the site of the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority.
Due diligence declarations
There are two ‘checkpoints’ defined in the EU ABS Regulation (Regulation (EU) 511/2014) at which a due diligence declaration is to be submitted by the users of genetic resources.
The first checkpoint (defined in Article 7(1) of the Regulation) concerns the research stage, when a research project involving utilisation of genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources is subject to external funding in the form of a grant. The EU ABS Regulation does not make a distinction between public and private funding. The second checkpoint is the stage of final development of a product developed via the utilisation of genetic resources or traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources.
For both checkpoints, the contents of the required declaration are specified in annexes to the Implementing Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2015/1866).