Biosafety is defined in Belgium as "The safety for human health and the environment, including the protection of biodiversity, during the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or micro-organisms (GMMs), and during the contained use of pathogenic organisms for humans".

 

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Notification procedures

 

In Belgium activities involving GMOs and/or pathogens can be performed only if they have been notified and authorised by the relevant Competent Authority(ies). Different procedures apply depending on the type of activity and/or organism involved.

Quick access: Notification procedures for "Contained Use" activities in Brussels, Wallonia, Flanders

Notifying a bio-incident or a laboratory-acquired infection

Guildeline on the use of GMOs in clinical trials

 

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Practical tools for risk assessment and risk management of "contained use" activities

 

Guidelines developed to provide support to carefully assess potential biological risks associated with activities involving GMOs and/or pathogens and for applying appropriate risk management measures.

Quick access: Belgian risk classes of micro-organisms

Criteria for containment levels

Mpox: biosafety of research and diagnostics, in French and Dutch

 

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Databases for field and clinical trials with GMOs in Belgium

 

Information about "deliberate release" or "contained use" notifications in Belgium for:

DB Genetically modified plants

DB GMO-medicinal products

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We are looking for scientists to join our panel of experts !
Watch our video and find out more here !

 

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Our tasks and activities

 

This website is managed by the Service Biosafety and Biotechnology (SBB) of Sciensano, a permanent center of expertise providing scientific advice in the field of biosafety.

 

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Belgian biosafety regulatory framework

 

In a complex institutional context, Belgium set up a biosafety regulatory framework harmonised between the Federal State and the Regions based on a single science-based biosafety advisory system composed of two bodies: the Biosafety Advisory Council and the SBB.

 

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EU biosafety regulatory framework

 

The assessment of biological risks associated with the use of GMOs and/or pathogens is supported by a comprehensive regulatory framework, in particular at European Union (EU) level. The EU legislation forms the basis of the implementation of biosafety in Belgium.

 

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Specific biosafety topics

 

This website also provides scientific information on various biosafety topics for all people having interest in specific fields.

 

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Historical overview of the emergence of the concept of biosafety and its implementation

 

The assessment of biological risks associated with the use of pathogens and/or recombinant DNA techniques has taken shape through different periods in recent history and through different fields.