The primary audience consists of GCP related professionals in genomics, bioinformatics or crop improvement who operate at a considerable distance from international PGR policy regulation issues and hence often rely on secondary sources of information on IPR / PGR regulation. These are primarily the scientists in GCP Consortium Institutions and other NARS and ARIs that are involved in joint projects and that are likely to be involved in down-stream work.

Particular attention will be given to participation from NARIs. Whereas CGIAR centers and ARIs are in the process of developing their own IPR-expertise bureaus, most NARIs have increasing problems to acquire access to complementary technology on equitable terms or to assess their ‘freedom to operate’ with protected techniques and tools. Also, NARIs are often “no match for the legal and negotiation skills and resources of major technology firms.