Commission Decision 2002/623/EC establishing guidance notes supplementing Annex II to Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms and repealing Council Directive 90/220/EEC

The guidance notes set out in the Annex to this Decision shall be used as a supplement to Annex II to Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms. The deliberate release and the placing on the market of genetically modified organisms are subject to prior explicit consent to be given only upon previous environmental risk assessment. The Annex hereby attached lays down guidance notes on the objective, elements, general principles and methodology of such environmental risk assessment. The objective of the environmental risk assessment is primarily to identify and evaluate potential adverse effects of the genetically modified organisms, direct or indirect, immediate or delayed, on human health and the environment which the deliberate release or placing on the market of genetically modified organisms may have.