ع
The Bahrain Daily Tribune reported on January 25, 2026 that Bahrain’s Council of Representatives reviewed a draft measure to harmonise national rules with a unified Gulf Cooperation Council framework for plant genetic resources. The chamber examined a report prepared by its Public Utilities and Environment Committee, which had evaluated the proposed approval of the GCC system prior to the session. This action advances regional efforts to standardise oversight of seeds and associated materials across the bloc.
The draft legislation would place seeds and plant genetic resources under one GCC framework as part of broader standardisation initiatives, according to the newspaper. The Public Utilities and Environment Committee conducted its examination of the unified system before referring the item to the full Council of Representatives. Bahrain Daily Tribune coverage framed the review as a step toward consistent regional management practices.
Bahrain acceded to the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture through Law No. 2 of 2024, Informea records show. The Food and Agriculture Organization has stated that the kingdom relies heavily on such resources to maintain food security and support agricultural sustainability. The GCC framework complements this by promoting harmonised rules among the six member states.
The unified system addresses monitoring, collection, classification, evaluation, documentation and protection of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture along with traditional knowledge, a Qanoniah legal database summary indicated. It further regulates access and benefit-sharing in accordance with established international norms. Comparable draft laws have undergone discussion in other GCC countries including Oman, where the State Council considered a similar text in 2026.
A memorandum on aligning Bahrain’s national framework with the GCC unified system for protection, documentation and sustainable use was submitted in November 2025, Gulf Daily News reported. The January parliamentary review built on that earlier submission. The Shura Council endorsed the legislation in February 2026, Bahrain Food Monitor accounts showed, moving the measure forward in the bicameral process.
The proposed law forms part of GCC-wide coordination on agricultural genetic resources, Newsofbahrain noted in related coverage. Both the Council of Representatives and the Shura Council participate in reviewing such unified agreements before they reach final stages. Parliamentary records indicate that approved GCC frameworks typically receive royal assent to enter into national effect.
