While conducting the risk assessment certain overarching issues must be kept in mind throughout the process. These overarching issues focus on provisions related to the quality and relevance of information to be considered in the risk assessment, as well as the means to identify and describe uncertainties that may arise.

Conducting the risk assessment involves synthesizing what is known about the LMO, its intended use and the likely potential receiving environment to establish the likelihood and consequences of potential adverse effects to biodiversity and human health resulting from the introduction of an LMO.

Risk assessors need to identify the information needed and understand how it will be used. Using and interpreting existing information, as well as identifying information gaps and understanding how to deal with scientific uncertainty are crucial actions during the risk assessment.