ABOUT THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR EX-SITU CONSERVATION OF FARM ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES IN ALBANIA
Andon Kume
PhD student. Faculty of Law, University of Maçerata, Italy
andon.kume@gmail.com
The Albanian National Action Plan for FANGR considers the ex-situ conservation of local/native animal breeds as one of the main priorities. The law "On Livestock Breeding" serves as a legal base to implement actions that are foreseen in the National Action Plan. It provides the implementation and establishment of the genebank for cryoconservation and/or ex-situ in vivo conservation of local breeds at risk of extinction. Meanwhile it should be noted that, the Albanian legislation does not cover issues related to property rights and use of the materials that are stored in the Cryobank and ex-situ in vivo Genebank. Yet, they are treated and considered as a public asset. The establishment and the administration of the Cryobank and ex-situ in vivo Conservation bank, are defined as a public institutions right/duty. The Albanian legislation lacks the necessary legal framework in order to regulate the relations between stakeholders and other actors, also misses the specific legal framework in order to develop the transboundary and/or regional issues regarding the exchange of genetic material. The legal and regulatory framework concerning the entirety of the storage conditions and documentations (storage facilities and rules, data management and documentations, genebank security, special sanitary arrangement and legal issues related to the genetic material and data, ownership and IP, collecting new materials and access to genebank) should be developed. Given the lack of necessary infrastructure and human capacities to enable collection, management and administration of semen, oocytes and embryos, the establishment of the Genetic Bank for somatic cells conservation should be a priority. Drafting of the necessary legal framework for the establishment of somatic cells genebank, its management, ownership rights and veterinary rules that should be implemented during collection, handling and storage of biologic materials, has to be elaborated, as an important part of the legal framework.
Keywords: animal genetic resources; ex-situ conservation; legislation; Albania
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