Multilateral system

The Contracting Parties of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture agreed "to establish a multilateral system, which is efficient, effective, and transparent, both to facilitate access to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, and to share, in a fair and equitable way, the benefits arising from the utilization of these resources, on a complementary and mutually reinforcing basis". It includes all plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (listed in Annex I) that are under the management and control of the Contracting Parties and in the public domain. (Source: ITPGRFA, Art. 10, 2001)