Decree 4525 of 2005: Regulatory Framework for Living Modified Organisms (LMOs)

Decree 4525 of 2005 regulates Law 740 of 2002 and establishes the Colombian biosafety framework applicable to living modified organisms (LMOs). It regulates their transboundary movement, transit, research, handling, use, release, and production, and establishes procedures for authorization, assessment, and risk management. It assigns responsibilities among national authorities based on the intended use of the LMOs—whether agricultural, livestock, fisheries, forestry, agro-industrial, environmental, sanitary, or food-related—with the aim of preventing, mitigating, and controlling risks to biodiversity, the environment, human health, and agricultural production. Its provisions were subsequently consolidated into the Single Regulatory Decree 1071 of 2015.