Presidential Order No. 158/24 creating the Genetically Modified Seeds Committee, coordinated by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry.

This Presidential Order creates the Genetically Modified Seeds Committee, coordinated by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry. The aim of this Committee is to to establish a National Biosafety System with rules and inspection mechanisms for authorizing the import, cultivation, transit, research, release into the environment, handling and use of Genetically Modified Seeds (GMS), to protect the human health, the environment and the conservation of biological diversity. The Committee has the following duties: a) establish standards for research with genetically modified seed; b) establish standards for activities and projects related to genetically modified seed; c) establish criteria for assessing and monitoring the risk of genetically modified seed; d) analyse the risk assessment, on a case-by-case basis, in relation to activities and projects involving genetically modified seed; e) establish the operating mechanisms of the Technical Subcommittees, according to the crops and their specificities; f) establishing biosafety requirements for authorizing the operation of a laboratory, institution or company that will carry out activities related to genetically modified seed; g) provide technical support to the competent bodies in the process of preventing and investigating accidents and diseases.