MANUAL FOR PATENT DEPOSITS

SECRECY AND SECURITY

The BCCM™ collections strictly observe the rules of the Budapest Treaty to the confidentiality, secrecy and security.

Therefore:

• under no circumstances will they reveal the fact that you made a deposit;

• the microorganisms are kept separate from the rest of the collection in locked containers with limited and rigorously controlled access;

• information about the deposited microorganisms will never be catalogued;

• the available information (forms, descriptions, etc.) will be fully protected;

• the cultures will be preserved as far as possible by freeze-drying and cryopreservation (e.g. liquid nitrogen);

• duplicates will be kept at a second location;

• the viability will be tested at a reasonable intervals, e.g. depending on type and storage conditions. The depositor can, at any moment but at the normal fee, ask for a viability statement or the execution of a viability test;

• if technically feasible, part of the original material will be retained.