Digital Sequence Information (DSI): Options and impact of regulating access and benefit sharing - stakeholder perspectives

With the ‘genomic revolution’ a continuously increasing amount of data is being generated. The Convention on Biological Diversity refers to this type of data as “Digital Sequence Information (DSI)”. Innovation in different domains and subsectors, ranging from agriculture and biodiversity conservation, to biotechnology and human health, depends on the use of DSI. Access to DSI and related technologies is crucial for any stakeholder and country, in order to reach long term food security objectives, to be able to adapt to climate change, to deal with human health issues, and to contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. Stakeholder consultations in the Netherlands indicate that fair and equitable benefit sharing arrangements - related to the use of DSI - should possibly only be dealt with in a multilateral context.