As part of its FAO Legislative Study series, the FAO Legal Office has published "Law and modern biotechnology: Selected issues of relevance to food and agriculture" by L. Glowka. This 172-page study reviews international, regional and a selection of national laws related to GMOs. Three categories of legal instruments are considered: those dealing with biosafety, food safety and consumer protection. The study includes issues such as public participation in the policy-making and regulatory decision-making process; oversight mechanisms to examine the merits of GMOs in the areas of biosafety, food safety or consumer protection and provides some general conclusions on major gaps and trends of existing biotechnology-related legislation. See http://www.fao.org/DOCREP/006/Y4839E/Y4839E00.HTMor contact [email protected] to request a copy.

13/05/2004