ECNH mandate
The ECNH is mandated to monitor and evaluate from an ethical perspective developments in and applications of non-human biotechnology and gene technology. Its mandate thus covers all biotechnology and gene technology applications in animals, plants and other organisms, and their impacts on humans and the environment.
The ECNH mandate involves three main responsibilities:
- The ECNH advises the Federal Council and the federal authorities on the preparation of legislation in the field of non-human biotechnology from an ethical perspective and submits proposals for future legislation.
- It advises the federal and cantonal authorities on the enforcement of federal regulations.
- It informs the public about the questions and issues with which it is concerned and promotes a dialogue on the benefit and risks of these technologies.
Legal foundations
Mandate and Organisation of ECNH
The Federal Council established the ECNH by decree of 27 April 1998, on the basis of Article 57 of the Government and Administration Organization Act and Article 11 of the Committees Ordinance.
The Gene Technology Act of 21 March 2003, which came into effect on 1 January 2004, created a new legals basis (in Article 23) for the mandate of the ECNH.
Participation in authorisation procedures
- Ordinance on the Contained Use of Organisms (Containment Ordinance, ContainO) - Article 15
- Ordinance on the Release of Organisms into the Environment (Release Ordinance, RO) - Articles 18, 19 and 23
- Ordinance on patents for invention (in German, French, and Italian) - Article 83