GMOs in contained use systems

Source: Gloger/BVL

The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL) obtains information from the German Federal States (Bundesländer) on the number of genetic engineering operations and contained use facilities pertaining to the respective containment level. This information can be found here.

The websites of the individual Federal States, along with further information relating to genetic engineering operations and contained use facilities, can be accessed via the website of the  “Bund/Länder-Arbeitsgemeinschaft Gentechnik” (LAG). LAG is a standing working group which promotes cooperation and coordination between the Federal States and the Federal Government as well as among the Federal States.

Procedure and opinions

Applications for, approvals for and notifications of genetic engineering operations and contained use facilities are processed by the Federal States in Germany. The respective procedure is determined by the containment level already mentioned (biosafety level 1 to biosafety level 4). For biosafety level 3 or 4 genetic engineering operations and contained use facilities the Central Committee on Biological Safety (ZKBS) has to be asked for an opinion.

The administrative office of the ZKBS is based at the BVL. Position statements of the ZKBS on risk assessments of microorganisms or assessments of safety measures can be accessed via the ZKBS website.

Further information on the procedure leading to the notification or authorisation of a genetic engineering operation or contained use facility can be found on the BVL website.

Notifications to the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) Central Portal

The BVL enters some of the position statements of the ZKBS on risk assessments into the databases of the Biosafety Clearing-House (BCH) Central Portal. This contributes to the international exchange of scientific information on GMOs. Entries to the BCH database can be viewed here.

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