Access and benefit-sharing is a major CBD issue, but the issue of access, exchange and use of genetic resources is also of concern for other forums.

Some of the most important international forums addressing ABS issues are:
- The Food and Agriculture Organisation (International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, Phytosanitary agreements)
- The World Trade Organisation (Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights – TRIPS – agreement)
- The World Intellectual Property Organisation and in particular its Intergovernmental Committee on Intellectual Property and Genetic Resources, Traditional Knowledge and Folklore.
- The World Health Organization and more specifically, the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework for the sharing of influenza viruses and access to vaccines and other benefits

Better cooperation between CBD and these forums is necessary to improve effective implementation and ensure coherent and consistent positions in these forums.

There might also be a link between CBD and CITES on ABS issues where it could be relevant for CITES implementation authorities and CBD-related authorities to have a full understanding of ABS issues and how they might be affected by CITES implementation and vice versa. A better understanding of ABS issues could ensure that decisions taken under CITES and CBD are coherent so as to avoid misunderstandings or misinterpretations.

At Belgian level, coordination mechanisms under the Coordination Committee for the International Environment Policy should be further refined to ensure cooperation between focal points for the coherent national implementation of ABS related provisions under the different relevant processes.