the boodiversity act 2002

“The Biodiversity Act, 2002”

Manish Sharma M. Pharm. Sem-II

Pharmaceutical Management & regulatory affairs

1 The Biodiversity Act, 2002

Contents

Introduction

Definitions

Regulation of Access to Biological Diversity

National Biodiversity Authority

Functions and Powers of The National Biodiversity Authority

State Biodiversity Board

Duties of The Central and The State Governments

Biodiversity Management Committees


Forms

Significance/ Role in Pharmaceutical Industry

Nagoya Protocol

Conclusion

References

The Biodiversity Act, 2002 3

Introduction

Developed countries use the biogenetic resources accessed from the developing countries. It results in beginning of the unprotected flow of genetic information from the developing countries to the capital-rich west, and a protected flow in the reverse direction mainly through patents and Plant Breeders’ Rights (PBR)

The Biological Diversity Act 2002 was born out of India's attempt to realise the objectives enshrined in the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 1992 which recognizes the sovereign rights of states to use their own Biological Resources


An Act to provide for conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of its components and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the use of biological resources, knowledge and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

This Act may be called the Biological Diversity Act, 2002


Definitions

“biological diversity” means the variability among living organisms from all sources and the ecological complexes of which they are part and includes diversity within species or between species and of eco-systems;

“biological resources” means plants, animals and micro-organisms or parts thereof, their genetic material and by-products (excluding value added products) with actual or potential use or value, but does not include human genetic material;


“commercial utilization” means end uses of biological resources for commercial utilization such as drugs, industrial enzymes, food flavors, fragrance, cosmetics, emulsifiers, oleoresins, colors, extracts and genes used for improving crops and livestock through genetic intervention, but does not include conventional breeding or traditional practices in use in any agriculture, horticulture, poultry, dairy farming, animal husbandry or bee keeping;


“sustainable use” means the use of components of biological diversity in such manner and at such rate that does not lead to the decline of the biological diversity thereby maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of present and future generations;


Regulation of Access to Biological

Diversity

Sec. 3. (1) No person referred to in sub-section (2) shall, without previous approval of the National Biodiversity Authority, obtain any biological resource occurring in India or knowledge associated thereto for research or for commercial utilization or for bio-survey and bio-utilization.


(2) The persons who shall be required to take the approval of the National Biodiversity Authority under sub-section (1) are the following, namely :-

(a) a person who is not a citizen of India;

(b) a citizen of India; who is a non-resident as defined in clause (30) of section 243 of 1961 of the Income-tax Act, 1961;

(c) a body corporate, association or organization

(i) not incorporated or registered in India; or

(ii) incorporated or registered in India under any law for the time being in force which has any non-Indian participation in its share capital or management.


Sec. 6. (1) No person shall apply for any intellectual property right, by whatever name called, in or outside India for any invention based on any research or information on a biological resource obtained from India without obtaining the previous approval of the National Biodiversity Authority before making such application:

Provided that if a person applies for a patent, permission of the National Biodiversity Authority may be obtained after the acceptance of the patent but before the sealing of the patent by the patent authority concerned:


Provided further that the National Biodiversity shall dispose of the application for permission made to it within a period of ninety days from the date of receipt thereof.

Process for approval:

1. Application shall be made in form III for getting approval with fee of 500.

2. Authority investigate the application and if satisfy approval shall be granted as a written agreement.


National biodiversity authority sec. 8. The head office of the national biodiversity authority shall be at chennai.


Members

Chairperson

ex-officio (10)

non-official (5)


ex-officio (10)

Ministry of Tribal Affairs

(1)

Ministry of Environment and

Forests (2) whom1 shall be ADG/DG

Ministry of Agriculture Research

and Education

(1)

Ministry of

Biotechnology (1)

Ministry of Ocean Develop

ment (1)

Ministry of Agriculture and

Cooperation (1)

Indian Systems of Medicine and

Homeopathy (1)

Science and Technology

(1)

Scientific and Industrial

Research (1)


non-official (5)

specialists and scientists having

special knowledge of, or experience in

conservation of biological

diversity

sustainable use of

biological resources

equitable sharing of benefits

representatives of industry

Conservers, creators &

knowledge-holders of biological resources

Sec. 11. The Central Government may remove any member from NBA who has –


Removal of

member from NBA

adjudged as an

insolvent

Offence of moral

turpitude

physically or

mentally incapable

financial or other interest

abusing position

Functions and powers of the national biodiversity authority

Sec. 18.

(1) It shall be the duty of the National Biodiversity Authority to regulate activities, and

(2) grant approval for undertaking any activity referred to in section 3, 4 and 6.

(3) The National Biodiversity Authority may –

(a) advise the Central Government on matters relating to the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of biological resources;


(b) advise the State Governments in the selection of areas of biodiversity importance as heritage sites and measures for the management of such heritage sites;

(4) The National Biodiversity Authority may, on behalf of the Central Government, take any measures necessary to oppose the grant of intellectual property rights in any country outside India on any biological resource obtained from India or knowledge associated with such biological resource which is derived from India.


State biodiversity board

Sec. 22.

(1) With effect from such dates as the State Government may appoint, for the purposes of this Act, a Board for the State to be known as the ________________(name of the State) Biodiversity Board.

(4) The Board shall consist of the following members, namely:-

a) a Chairperson

b) five ex-officio members

c) five members from among the experts in matters relating to conservation of biological diversity, sustainable use of biological resources and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources.


Sec. 23.

The functions of the State Biodiversity Board shall be to –

(a) advise the State Government, on matters relating to the conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of biological resources;

(b) regulate by granting of approvals or otherwise requests for commercial utilization or bio-survey and bio-utilization of any biological resource by Indians;


Procedure for third party transfer of accessed biological resource

• Person shall make an application to the Authority in Form IV, accompanied by a fee of ten thousand rupees in the form of Bank draft or cheque drawn in favour of the Authority.

• The Authority shall after collecting any additional information, decide upon the application as far as possible within a period of six months of receipt of the same.

• The approval as may be granted in the form of a written agreement decided by the Authority.


Duties of the central and the state governments

Sec. 36.

To develop national strategies, plans, etc., for conservation, etc., of biological diversity:-

(1) The Central Govt. provides in-situ and ex-situ conservation of biological resources.

(2) To provide immediate measures for safety of biological areas rich in biological diversity.

(3) The Central Govt. shall integrate the conservation, promotion and sustainable use of biological diversity and provide measures for protection, including sui-generis system.


Sec.39

Powers of Central Govt. to designate Repositories:

(1) Designate institutions as repositories for different categories of biological resources.

(2) To keep safe custody of the biological material including voucher specimens.

(3) To keep safe custody of any new taxon discovered by any person.


Biodiversity management committees

Sec.41.

For the purpose of

promoting conservation,

sustainable use and documentation of biological diversity including preservation of habitats,

conservation of land races, folk varieties and cultivars, domesticated stocks and breeds of animals and micro organisms,

chronicling of knowledge relating to biological diversity.


(a) “cultivar” means a variety of plant that has originated and persisted under cultivation or was specifically bread for the purpose of cultivation;

(b) “folk variety” means a cultivated variety of plant that was developed, grown and exchanged informally among farmers;

(c) “landrace” means primitive cultivar that was grown by ancient farmers and their successors.


Forms I Application form for access to Biological resources and

associated traditional knowledge

10,000

II Application for seeking prior approval of National Biodiversity Authority for transferring the results of research to foreign nationals, companies, NRI’s, for commercial purposes.

5000

III Application for seeking prior approval of National Biodiversity Authority for applying for Intellectual Property Right

500

IV Application form for seeking approval of National Biodiversity Authority for third party transfer of the accessed Biological resources and associated traditional knowledge.

10,000

V Form of Memorandum of Appeal Within 30-45 days

VI Notice for hearing of the appeal

VII Form of notice The Biodiversity Act, 2002 26

Significance/ Role in Pharmaceutical

Industry The NBA deals with the requests for access

to bio-resources and associated traditional knowledge by foreign nationals, institutions or companies, and all matters pertaining to the transfer of research findings to any foreign national, imposition of terms and conditions to secure equitable sharing of benefits, establish sovereign rights over the bio-resources of India and approval for seeking any form of Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) in or outside India for an invention based on research or information pertaining to a biological resource and


associated traditional knowledge obtained from India.

The Act imposes certain restrictions on request made by industries related to access to biological resources and traditional knowledge if the request is on:

a. endangered taxa

b. endemic and rare taxa

c. likely adverse effects on the livelihood of the local people

d. adverse and irrecoverable environmental impact

e. cause genetic erosion or affect ecosystem function


Nagoya Protocol

The Nagoya Protocol is a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity . To access genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The Nagoya Protocol will create greater legal certainty and transparency for both providers and users of genetic resources by: Establishing more predictable conditions for

access to genetic resources.

Helping to ensure benefit-sharing when genetic resources leave the contracting party providing the genetic resources


Access obligations:-

Domestic-level access measures are to:

a) Create legal certainty, clarity and transparency

b) Provide fair and non-arbitrary rules and procedures

c) Establish clear rules and procedures for prior informed consent and mutually agreed terms

d) Provide for issuance of a permit or equivalent when access is granted

e) Create conditions to promote and encourage research contributing to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use


a) Pay due regard to cases of present or imminent emergencies that threaten human, animal or plant health

b) Consider the importance of genetic resources for food and agriculture for food security

Benefit-sharing obligations:-

Domestic-level benefit-sharing measures are to provide for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources with the contracting party providing genetic resources.


the boodiversity act 2002

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