Title: The Domestic and Regional Regulatory Environment
Abstract: Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the domestic and regional regulatory environments related to genetically modified organisms (GMO). Regulation typically occurs at four levels of activity – technology patenting, field-testing of the crop, animal and human consumption trials, and approval for commercial use as a crop and for human and animal consumption. Regulations differ greatly in scale and implementation, varying from extremely restrictive in some industrialized countries to nonexistent in some developing countries. The study shows that food safety aspects of GMO's generally have been grafted onto the responsibility of ministries of health. These agencies have started from existing food safety regulations and modified them somewhat to deal with specific GMO issues. Environmental regulatory authority has more often been split between ministries of agriculture and ministries of the environment and natural resources. Agriculture ministries traditionally regulate development and release of new varieties, so it was a natural fit to add release of GM varieties. The role of environment ministries, have however been less clear. The potential for duplicative regulation is obvious, as is the potential for non-market effects to escape regulation by falling between the cracks. Perhaps the most important point to emphasize is that regulatory efforts are rapidly changing, both in response to consumer and environmental groups and to keep up with technology.
Publication Year: 2001
Publication Date: 2001-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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Cited By Count: 10
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