Brief description of the regulatory framework

MAGA (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food) is the public entity with authority to regulate activities with GMOs for agricultural use. Within MAGA, the vice-ministry of Animal Health and Regulations, composed by agencies such as the Directorate of Plant and Animal Genetic Resources and Native Resources, regulates production, conservation, use, release and market approval of GMOs; supervises and certifies seed production sites and greenhouses and registers plant varieties; certifies and registers animal species, performs animal health expert assessments; and coordinates with the relevant agencies the application, promotion and dissemination of information regarding the regulations for the use and conservation of plant and animal genetic resources and native resources. Risk assessment is conducted and filed by the applicant, while the analysis of the information thereof and the ulterior decisions - based on science - are made by MAGA with the support of the Technical Committee in Agriculture Biosafety. Also, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras passed a joint regulation for the commercial exchange and safe use of agrobiotechnology, which became effective in 2019 for Guatemala and Honduras. Guatemala has already developed the proceedings for its application, as per Decrees 270-MAGA and 271-MAGA.