Continued flexible exchange of forest genetic resources (FGR) in the Nordic region is important for sustainable forest management and for climate change adaptation and mitigation. For this reason, a high level political initiative identified a need to clarify the legal status of FGR in the Nordic region. In this report we summarise the results of a Nordic project intended to approach this issue, on the background that plant genetic resources is being increasingly subjected to private property rights. The aim of this work is to give recommendations for politicians and decision makers.