products, and the implications to the Region of new and emerging issues and initiatives; b. co-operate and collaborate with relevant international and other research institutions and organisations outside the Region concerned with forests and forestry; c. promote the strengthening and development, throughout the Region, of relevant centres of excellence in research and development in connection with forest-related activities; d. encourage the private sector to conduct research, develop and promote technology for the sustainable management and use of forest resources, including research in: i. augmentation of benefits to economies in the Region from trade in forest products; ii. voluntary certification of forest industries and forest products; iii. use of mechanisms provided for under other international instruments for the benefit of the forest sector in the Region; and iv. development of innovative techniques and technologies that can be used in the Region. ARTICLE 21: REPORTING AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE 1. State Parties shall, exchange data and information concerning the management of forests and the implementation of this Protocol, including data and information relating to: a. status of all types of forests and trees in the Region based on national assessments undertaken in accordance with Article 9 and in conformity with any methodology developed pursuant to paragraph 2 of Article 9; b. results of research relevant to the management of forests by other State Parties; c. legal, administrative and other measures taken or planned to be taken to implement this Protocol; and actions taken to monitor, control and enforce legal provisions or administrative measures used to give effect to this Protocol. 2. State Parties shall consult with one another and exchange data and information on a bilateral basis whenever appropriate and, in particular, shall as soon as possible notify any potentially affected Member States of any accidents, emergencies, or other activities that have given or are likely to give rise to transboundary adverse impacts and consult with those Member States regarding measures to address any potential transboundary adverse impacts. 3. If a State Party is requested by another State Party to provide data or information that is not readily available, the former shall employ its best efforts to comply with the request within a reasonable period. 4. This Protocol shall not affect rights or obligations of the State Parties established in accordance with their domestic laws, regulations, administrative provisions or accepted legal practices and international agreements to protect information relating to personal data, intellectual property, confidential industrial or commercial information, or national security. 5. State Parties shall respect the confidentiality of the information in the course of the exchange of information received under this Protocol and shall use that information only for purposes for which it was supplied. 6. A State Party that owns commercially relevant information may charge any person, including another State Party, a reasonable fee for access to that information.