This Regulation establishes rules governing compliance with access and benefit-sharing for genetic resources and traditional knowledge associated with genetic resources in accordance with the provisions of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity (the ‘Nagoya Protocol’). The effective implementation of this Regulation will also contribute to the conservation of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (the ‘Convention’).

This Regulation applies to all EU Member States, regardless of their individual ratification of the Nagoya Protocol.

Due to the division of competences between the EU and its Member States, some elements related to the compliance measures (such as the penalties, authorities in charge of the compliance checks) are not directly provided for in the EU ABS Regulation but are or will be implemented by each EU Member State.

This Regulation implements the obligatory compliance "pillar" of the Nagoya Protocol. It does not establish access rules at EU level. For EU Member States that decide to establish access rules, these will be found in the legislation of the respective EU Member State (see their respective Country Profile).