Prior to receiving an LMO notification, risk assessors may need familiarise themselves with issues such as environmental protection goals, regulatory requirements and compliance of a national framework with the Protocol to gain an understanding of the general framework within which the risk assessment must be carried out to comply with international obligations, national laws and administrative procedures. The biosafety framework of each country may address administrative matters by establishing mechanisms for

1. the selection of risk assessors and/or establishment of advisory bodies;
2. handling confidential information (Article 21);
3. public awareness and participation (Article 23); and
4. if and how socio-economic considerations should be taken into account in the decision-making process (Article 26), amongst other things.

The following sections of this module provide an overview on how some issues might be considered by risk assessors prior to undertaking a risk assessment.