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ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND RULES FOR PALEONTOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON ARGENTINE MATERIAL BY OR IN COLLABORATION WITH FOREIGN RESEARCHERS

The participation of foreign researchers in the study and/or collection of Argentine palaeontological material should be encouraged, in so far as such activities comply with current legislation. As indicated by article 2c of its Statutes, the Asociación Paleontólogica Argentina (APA) is an interested party and, as such, approves the following Ethical Principles and Rules to which foreign researchers should adhere when undertaking work in Argentina.

1) Specialists and/or foreign institutions that plan to carry out palaeontological research in Argentina and/or involving Argentine material, should first ascertain if there are in any resident specialists already working, either directly or indirectly, in research programmes connected to the proposed topic. Should this be the case, the national investigators should be informed in order to link them to the proposed project.

2) Before commencing a project, a copy of the collaborative agreement, or letter on which such an agreement is based, should be sent to the APA in order that it may be made known among the Argentine palaeontological community, no less than six months prior to commencement of the project.

3) Fieldwork should always be under the aegis of and through a recognised Argentine scientific institution and it should be carried out in conjunction with an Argentine research partner or collection supervisor.

4) Research programs generated by the results of fieldwork in Argentina should include the participation of Argentine paleontologists.

5) The results of all such research should, in principle, be submitted to local specialised scientific journals.

6) All palaeontological material and samples capable of being treated for the recovery of fossils, micro-organisms, palynomorphs or other organic remains that, according to current legislation, can not be transported permanently out of the country, should be deposited in Argentine scientific institutions. These institutions should have the capability and organisation necessary to ensure the permanent conservation and public availability of the material for scientific research. An exception to this is reference material sent abroad in exchange which, however, may not be used for original descriptive studies without previously meeting all requirements set out in the current rules.

7) All type material and/or illustrated and described material should be deposited preferably before publication, and never more than one year after this, in Argentine scientific institutions with the catalogue numbers supplied by them.

8) If Argentine and/or foreign researchers need to transport abroad any palaeontological material for study, they should communicate their intention at least 60 days prior to shipping of the material. A statement should be included, specifying the type of material and institution to which it is being transferred. Argentine project members will be responsible for ensuring that these rules are enforced when foreign researchers are involved in the project.

9) Geological exploration companies, whether public or private, that use Argentine material for palaeontological control will be notified of these rules in order that they may comply with current legislation.

10) Any foreigner contravening these rules shall be subject to the following moral sanctions by the Asociación Paleontológica Argentina:

I. He or she will be declared persona non grata within the Argentine palaeontological community. Ignorance of the above rules will not be accepted as an excuse for contravening them. All further support for research projects in our country shall be denied.

II. Such a resolution, accompanied by a formal protest, shall be directed to the home institution of the sanctioned person.

III. Repeated breaching of these rules by one or more individuals shall extend any sanctions taken against him or her also to his/her home institution.

IV. Upon the passing of a sanction by Council, such a resolution shall be communicated to the International Paleontological Association and will be published in AMEGHINIANA or other publications of APA. Legal action may be taken in order to ensure enforcement of current legislation.

V. A report of the circumstances surrounding the case will be sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Argentina and to the embassy or diplomatic representation of the country of origin of the person involved in the case.

Recommendation: For Argentine material currently being studied in foreign institutions, a notification within a reasonable period by the specialists undertaking the study, together with an undertaking to fulfil requirements set out in points 4 to 7, above, will be acceptable.

Approved by Asociación Paleontológica Argentina Council on December 20, 1982.

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