Legislation Tracker

Which countries are taking measures that encourage companies to contribute to the Cali Fund?

The international agreement establishing the Cali Fund invites countries to "take administrative, policy or legislative measures" that incentivise contributions to the Cali Fund.

0

countries with legislation encouraging Cali Fund contributions

0

countries where such legislation is under discussion

Egypt

  • Friends of the Cali Fund Member: no
  • CBD Party
  • Nagoya Party
  • BBNJ Agreement Signatory
  1. No Legislation or administrative measure proposed yet (reached)
  2. Legislation or administrative measure proposed
  3. Legislation introduced
  4. Legislation passed into law
  5. Legislation or administrative measure in effect

Overview

Egypt has not introduced Cali Fund-specific legislation or administrative measures, and has no operative national ABS law. Its engagement has been through the negotiations, where it advocates a CBD-managed DSI database with permit tracking and mandatory benefit-sharing contributions from all DSI users.

Proposed legislation / administrative measure

No measure has been proposed, and Egypt has not filed a submission under notification 2026-006. In its March 2025 submissions to the CBD, Egypt proposed a CBD-managed DSI database integrated into the Clearing-House Mechanism, including a global permit and compliance database that would cross-reference sequences with provider-country permits and notify Parties when their resources are accessed. It also called for mandatory benefit-sharing contributions from all DSI users in synthetic biology, pharmaceutical research and industrial biotechnology. Domestically, a draft ABS law prepared by a committee established under Ministerial Decree No. 5 of 2007 remains under revision by the Ministry of Justice.

Key developments

14 October 2024 - Egypt signed the BBNJ Agreement.

November 2018 - Egypt hosted COP14 in Sharm El-Sheikh, which adopted Decision 14/20 launching the science- and policy-based process on DSI.

ABS legislation

Egypt has no dedicated, operative legislation governing access and benefit-sharing (ABS). The existing legal framework includes Law No. 102 of 1983 on Nature Protectorates and Law No. 4 of 1994 on the Environment, as amended, both administered by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). A draft national ABS law was prepared by a scientific-legal committee established under Ministerial Decree No. 5 of 2007 and has since been under revision by the Ministry of Justice.

Regulatory context

In the absence of a dedicated ABS law, access to genetic resources is addressed only indirectly through the Nature Protectorates Law (No. 102 of 1983) and the Environment Law (No. 4 of 1994), administered by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA). There is no permit procedure specific to genetic resources or DSI, which limits Egypt's ability to issue prior informed consent or to recognise Cali Fund certificates domestically.