Terms of Use

Terms of Use

Last updated: March 2025

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Israel Gene Bank (IGB) website and its services, you agree to be bound by these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this website. These terms apply to all visitors, registered users, and researchers who interact with the IGB platform.

2. Use of the Website

You agree to use this website only for lawful purposes and in a manner consistent with:

  • The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
  • The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
  • All applicable Israeli and international laws and regulations

You must not use this website in any way that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair the service, or interfere with any other party's use of the website.

3. User Accounts and Registration

To request seeds or access certain features, you must register for an account. You are responsible for:

  • Providing accurate, complete, and up-to-date information during registration
  • Maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials
  • All activities that occur under your account
  • Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

4. Seed Requests and Material Transfer

All seed requests are subject to the following conditions:

  • A signed Material Transfer Agreement (MTA) or Standard MTA (sMTA) is required, depending on the material requested.
  • Plant material is provided solely for scientific research, education, and conservation purposes.
  • You may not sell, commercialize, or transfer the material to a third party without prior written consent from IGB.
  • You may not claim intellectual property rights over the plant material, its progeny, or derivatives.
  • A handling fee of 40 NIS per sample and an order handling fee of 60 NIS apply.
  • Final approval of requests is subject to review by an IGB representative and inventory availability.

5. Protected Species

Some plant species in our collection are protected under Israeli law. Requesting such species requires approval from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority (INPA). Israeli citizens must submit the permit request themselves. For non-Israeli citizens, IGB may submit the request on your behalf. Please note that the final decision rests solely with INPA, and the review process may take several months.

6. Intellectual Property

Unless otherwise indicated, all content on this website — including text, images, data, and databases — is owned by IGB or the Government of Israel and is protected by applicable intellectual property laws. Content may be used solely for educational or research purposes. Any other use requires prior written permission from IGB.

7. Privacy Policy

IGB collects and processes personal data (such as name, email, affiliation, and country) in order to manage seed requests and communicate with users. Your data is stored securely and will not be shared with third parties except as required by law or with your explicit consent. By registering, you consent to the collection and use of your data for these purposes.

8. Disclaimer of Warranties

The website and its content are provided "as is" without warranties of any kind. IGB does not warrant that the website will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses. IGB makes no representation regarding the accuracy or completeness of any information, data, or plant material provided through this website.

9. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, IGB and the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO/Volcani Institute) shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, or consequential damages arising from your use of this website or the plant material provided through it.

10. Governing Law

These Terms of Use shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Israel. The courts of Tel Aviv shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any disputes arising from these terms.

11. Changes to Terms

IGB reserves the right to modify these Terms of Use at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of the website after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions about these Terms of Use, please contact us:

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