Understanding the Genesys Terms and Conditions

When you browse Genesys and download data from genebanks around the world, you are using that data under a legal agreement called the Terms and Conditions of Use. You do not need to sign anything. By accessing the portal, you accept the terms automatically.

If that sounds a bit vague, this post is here to clear things up. We will walk through what the Terms actually say in plain language, so you know exactly what you can and cannot do with the data you find on Genesys.

What license are you getting?

When you download data from Genesys, you receive a license from the Crop Trust that is:

• Revocable: The Crop Trust can modify or withdraw the license at any time.
• Worldwide: It applies wherever you are in the world, no matter which country you are working in.
• Royalty-free: You do not pay anything for the use of the data.
• Non-exclusive: The same data is available to other users too. The Crop Trust can grant the same rights to anyone else.
• Non-transferable: You cannot pass this license on to someone else. If a colleague or partner wants to use the data, they must download it themselves directly from Genesys.

In plain terms, you get free access to use the data for your own research and applications, but the data is not yours to give away or resell.

What are you allowed to do?

The license grants you broad freedom to use the data for any lawful purpose. That covers research, plant breeding, education, conservation projects, and much more. The portal exists precisely to make plant genetic resource data accessible to everyone who needs it, and the Terms are designed to support that goal rather than restrict it.

You are also welcome to link to Genesys from your own website, provided you do so fairly, in good faith, and in a way that does not damage the reputation of the Crop Trust or take advantage of it. Importantly, you cannot establish a link or publish statements that imply any form of association with, approval from, or endorsement by the Crop Trust unless you have written confirmation from the Crop Trust that such a relationship exists.

What are the restrictions?

The Terms include a few important restrictions that protect the interests of the genebanks who share their data and the portal that makes it accessible:

No redistribution. You cannot redistribute the data to other users. This means you cannot share downloaded data files with people outside your immediate team, upload them to another platform, or pass them on in any form. Instead, direct any interested potential users to Genesys so they can access the data themselves directly from the portal. This keeps the portal as the single, authoritative source and ensures proper attribution flows back to the original data providers.

No republishing that competes with the portal. You cannot copy, reproduce, post, broadcast, or adapt the contents of Genesys in any way that would unreasonably harm the legitimate interests of the Crop Trust or compete with the portal. This means, for example, you cannot build a competing database that repackages and republishes Genesys data without adding substantial original value.

No intellectual property claims. The data you download does not give you any copyright, intellectual property rights, or proprietary interest in that data. You are a licensee, not an owner.

How do you give credit?

When you use data from Genesys in your research, publications, or applications, you are required to acknowledge the original sources. The data comes from specific genebanks, and those institutions deserve recognition for sharing their collections.

Genesys provides guidance on how to format citations and attributions on the portal itself. Keeping intact any notices about the source of the data that accompany your downloads is part of your obligation under the Terms. You must also ensure that anyone you work with closely (for example, collaborators on a shared project) is aware of and complies with the same Terms when they use the data.

If you would like specific guidance on how to cite data from Genesys, see our Citation and attribution policy.

What about warranties and liability?

The data on Genesys is provided as is from the original providers, without any warranty. This means the Crop Trust and the data providers do not guarantee that the data is accurate, complete, or fit for your particular purpose. Genebanks do their best to maintain high-quality records, but the nature of biological data means some uncertainty is inevitable.

For liability, the Crop Trust and the data providers are not liable for any loss or damage that arises from your use of the data, whether through your actions or someone else's. This includes indirect damages such as lost revenue, lost profits, or lost business opportunities. If negligence on the part of the Crop Trust or a data provider can be proved, liability is limited to direct financial loss only.

This is standard language in open data agreements. The goal is to make data freely available while protecting the institutions that share it from legal exposure that could discourage them from publishing in the first place.

What happens if the Terms change?

The Crop Trust may update the portal or change these Terms at any time. Changes take effect immediately upon posting on the Genesys homepage, unless otherwise stated. If you continue to use the portal after a change, you are deemed to have accepted the new Terms. We recommend checking this page occasionally to stay informed about any updates.

What happens if you break the Terms?

If you breach any of the Terms, your license is automatically terminated immediately, without notice. That means you lose your right to use the data right away. If the situation involves a legal dispute, the Crop Trust will resolve it through binding arbitration under UNCITRAL Rules, in Bonn, Germany, in English.

In summary

The Genesys Terms and Conditions are designed to keep plant genetic resource data open and accessible while protecting the genebanks who contribute it. You get broad, free, permanent rights to use the data for your own purposes, with the main obligations being attribution, no redistribution, and no competing republishing. The data is provided as-is, without warranties, and the Crop Trust and data providers are not liable for how you use it.

If you have questions about how the Terms apply to your specific situation, feel free to reach out to the helpdesk at helpdesk@genesys-pgr.org. And if you would like to read the full legal text, you can find it in our Terms and Conditions documentation.