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Legislative, Administrative or Policy Measure (MSR)
  |  
last updated: 25 Sep 2019
General information
Environmental Management Act of 2017
Section 67 and 68  of the Environmental Management Act provide for Access and Benefit Sharing 
National / Federal
Legally binding
30 Sep 2019
Law
No
Amendments
EN
Regulatory contact information
- Competent National Authority: | ABSCH-CNA-MW-202014-2
Competent National Authority:
ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT ()
P/BAG 394, LINGADZI HOUSE, LILONGWE
LILONGWE,
, Malawi
Phone: +256 1 771 111,
Fax: +265 1 773 369,
Website: www.nccpmw.org,
Amendments
Relationships
  • ABSCH-MSR-MW-202015-2 Legislative, Administrative or Policy Measure Environmental Management Act (1996)

    The Environmental Management Act (EMA, 1996) is an overarching statute providing general environmental protection. Sectoral policies (e.g. policies on land, water, fisheries, waste and forestry) are required to be consistent with the Act. 

    Section 4 of the EMA  states that :

    The natural and genetic resources of Malawi shall constitute an integral part of the natural wealth of the people of Malawi and—

    a. shall be protected, conserved and managed for the benefit of the people of Malawi; and  

    b. save for domestic purposes, shall not be exploited or utilized without the prior written authority of the Government.

    Section 36 states :

    The Minister, on the recommendations of the Council, may, By regulations published in the Gazette, control or restrict access by any person to the genetic resources of Malawi. Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the regulations may— 

    a. prohibit the exportation of germplasm, except in accordance with a license issued by the Minister and subject to such conditions as the Minister may impose; 

    b. provide for the sharing of benefits arising from the technological exploitation of germplasm originating from part vii - Environmental Management Page 5 of 9 between the owner of the technology and the Government; 

    c. provide for fees payable in respect of an export license issued under subsection (2) (a) and for a charge payable for accessing germplasm.


  • ABSCH-MSR-MW-248064-1 Legislative, Administrative or Policy Measure GUIDELINES ON ACCESS TO BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES AND THE FAIR AND EQUITABLE SHARING OF BENEFITS ARISING FROM THEIR USE
    The guidelines have been developed to lay out conditions under which access to biological resources in Malawi will be granted and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilisation of biological resources shall be ensured. The guidelines also provide for the institutional frameworks within which the access and benefit sharing shall operate. 
     
    The guidelines shall apply to the access and utilisation of all biological resources and traditional knowledge associated with the use of biological resources for research, development and bio-trade. Users of the guidelines may include, but not limited to; academics, students, public and private institutions, public and private breeding companies, commercial entities, multinational companies, bio-traders, biological resources collectors, protected area staff, researchers, civil society and concerned local communities.  

    These guidelines have been developed in accordance with the Environment Management Act and other sectoral legislation such as the Forestry Act, Fisheries Conservation and Management Act National Parks and Wildlife Act, Control of Animal Diseases Act, Science and Technology Act and Plant Protection Act. The development of these guidelines also reaffirms Malawi’s commitment to the achievement of the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilisation. 
The Environmental Management Act provides for the development of guidelines and other legislative measures. 
Elements of the measure Collapse All Expand All
  SCOPE OF THE MEASURE
  Genetic Resources
-   All types of genetic resources -   Animals , -   Plants , -   Fungi , -   Microorganism , -   Domesticated species and/or cultivated species , -   Wild species - found in - All areas of access of the genetic resource In-situ Agricultural areas , Dry and sub-humid areas , Forest , Inland waters , Islands , Marine and coastal areas , Mountains , Protected areas , Ex-situ , Soil and/or water samples (Section 67)
  Traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources ( Section 67 )
  Provisions on temporal scope ( Section 67 )
  ACCESS
  Access to genetic resources
  For commercial use ( Section 67 )
  For non-commercial use ( Section 67 )
  Access to traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources, including prior informed consent or approval or involvement
  For commercial use ( Section 67 )
  For non-commercial use ( Section 67 )
  Established rules and procedures for mutually agreed terms ( Section 67 )
  BENEFIT-SHARING
  Monetary benefits ( Section 67 )
  Non-monetary benefits ( Section 67 )
  For commercial use ( Section 67 )
  COMPLIANCE
  Compliance with domestic legislation or regulatory requirements of the other Party (Article 15 and 16) ( Section 67 )
  Compliance with mutually agreed terms (Article 18) ( Section 67 )
  RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER INTERNATIONAL INSTRUMENTS
No provisions for this element
  OTHER
  Competent national authority/ies ( Section 67 )
  Capacity-building ( section 67 )
  Reference to any other relevant articles and sections
-  section 106, 68 and 69 (section 106, 68 and 69)
Additional Information
none
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Record type Field Record(s)
ABS Procedure Relevant ABS measure(s): 1