The first international discussions concerning the safety of unconfined uses of transgenic organisms occurred during the mid-1980s in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).  The publication of the OECD’s Recombinant DNA Safety Considerations (Blue Book) in 1986 was an important synthesis of the proactive approaches to evaluating transgenic organisms by governments, scientists and other stakeholders and was the first intergovernmental document which addressed the environmental safety of transgenic organisms.

 

The main objectives of the workshop were:

 

i) to discuss the history and evolution of the conceptual framework for the evaluation of transgenic plant products in the environment and OECD's role in the development of that framework;

 

ii) to discuss the current contribution of OECD's Working Group for the Harmonisation of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology to risk/ safety assessment practice; and

 

iii) to discuss current risk assessment issues and needs and the future role of OECD.

 

 

Presentations:

• The OECD Working Group for the Harmonization of Regulatory Oversight in Biotechnology
• Basic Framework for Risk Assessment for Transgenic Plants Developed by the OECD
• Impact of the OECD on the Development of National and International Risk Assessment Frameworks
• Current Activities in OECD on Risk / Safety Assessment
• Perspective on OECD Activities from a Non-Member Country
• Perspective on OECD Activities from a Product Developer
• Current and Future Issues in Risk / Safety Assessment: The Continuing Contribution of OECD

 

Rapporteurs' Report