The Netherlands Commission on Genetic Modification

COGEM advises the government on the risks of genetic modification for humans and the environment and identifies ethical and societal issues

News

Stay up to date with the latest news, current developments and upcoming events from COGEM.

13-01-2026

COGEM advises on the European Biotech Act I

No guarantee of safety when exempting GMOs from environmental risk assessment.

07-01-2026

Advice updating the prerequisites for the ERA of clinical studies with GM cells available in English

COGEM published an English translation of her recent advice which provides an update ...

11-12-2025

English translation of COGEM-report on robust legislation for grey areas is now available!

COGEM has translated the report on ‘grey areas’ in the regulation of green and red biotechnology.

24-11-2025

Welcome to our renewed website!

We are pleased to inform you that our website has been given a renewed layout and str...

02-10-2025

Advice on the threshold value of free viral particles in clinical studies available in English

COGEM has published an English translation of her advice on amending the threshold va...

02-10-2025

Research report ‘Introgression from cultivated plants into their wild relatives’

The outcrossing of genetically modified (GM) plants to wild relatives (introgression)...

02-10-2025

COGEM advice clarifying the proper use of the ‘COGEM formula’ is now available in English

COGEM has published an English translation of her advice on the explanation of the us...

11-12-2024

Updated overview lists of risk group classifications

COGEM advises on the pathogenicity classes of (micro)organisms and viruses, or on the...

18-10-2024

Access to gene therapy requires a different approach

A large number of new gene therapies will become available in the coming years. These...

27-08-2024

Advances in the application of GM phages in research, development and industry

COGEM has commissioned research into the latest developments surrounding genetic modi...

The Netherlands Commission on Genetic Modification (COGEM) is an independent scientific advisory body of the Dutch government with the statutory tasks of advising on the risks to humans and the environment posed by genetically modified organisms, and informing the government about ethical and societal aspects of genetic modification.

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About us

Publications in preparation

Find out what advice and research projects COGEM is currently working on.

Documents in preparation

Highlighted publications

A selection of publications recently publisched by COGEM.

More publications

08-01-2026

Advice Categories of genetically modified organisms exempted from an environmental risk assessment in the Biotech Act I

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has asked COGEM for advice on the...

07-01-2026

Advice Update on prerequisites for generic environmental risk assessment of clinical studies and marketing applications involving ex vivo retro- and lentiviral transduced cells

Update of prerequisites for clinical studies involving transduced cells.

08-12-2025

Grey Areas in the Regulation of Green and Red Biotechnology. Towards robust legislation for rapid technological change

Technological developments in biotechnology and genetic modification are advancing ra...

19-08-2025

Advice Explanation of the COGEM formula for calculating free lentiviral or gammaretroviral vector particles after ex vivo transduction

In biomedical or clinical research, cells are often genetically modified using lentiv...

19-09-2025

Introgression from cultivated plants into their wild relatives

The outcrossing of genetically modified (GM) plants to wild relatives, and the subseq...

20-05-2025

Advice Reassessment of the threshold values for the presence of free lentiviral and retroviral vector particles in clinical trials with ex vivo transduced cells

In certain gene therapies, cells from the patient are genetically altered outside the...

14-05-2025

Joint open letter COGEM and ZKBS on the ERA of new vaccine developments based on samRNAs and VRPs

In this Joint open letter to the European Commission, the Netherlands Commission on G...

05-12-2024

Risk Classification of Organisms: Pathogenicity classification of (a)pathogenic fungi Status November 2024

The Netherlands Commission on Genetic Modification (COGEM) advises the Dutch governme...

Members of COGEM

Types of publications

COGEM advises the government on the risks of genetic modification for humans and the environment and identifies ethical and societal issues

News

COGEM advises on the European Biotech Act I

Advice updating the prerequisites for the ERA of clinical studies with GM cells available in English

English translation of COGEM-report on robust legislation for grey areas is now available!

Welcome to our renewed website!

Advice on the threshold value of free viral particles in clinical studies available in English

Research report ‘Introgression from cultivated plants into their wild relatives’

COGEM advice clarifying the proper use of the ‘COGEM formula’ is now available in English

Updated overview lists of risk group classifications

Access to gene therapy requires a different approach

Advances in the application of GM phages in research, development and industry

Who is COGEM?

Publications in preparation

Highlighted publications

Advice Categories of genetically modified organisms exempted from an environmental risk assessment in the Biotech Act I

Advice Update on prerequisites for generic environmental risk assessment of clinical studies and marketing applications involving ex vivo retro- and lentiviral transduced cells

Grey Areas in the Regulation of Green and Red Biotechnology. Towards robust legislation for rapid technological change

Advice Explanation of the COGEM formula for calculating free lentiviral or gammaretroviral vector particles after ex vivo transduction

Introgression from cultivated plants into their wild relatives

Advice Reassessment of the threshold values for the presence of free lentiviral and retroviral vector particles in clinical trials with ex vivo transduced cells

Joint open letter COGEM and ZKBS on the ERA of new vaccine developments based on samRNAs and VRPs

Risk Classification of Organisms: Pathogenicity classification of (a)pathogenic fungi Status November 2024

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Members of COGEM

Types of publications

COGEM advises the government on the risks of genetic modification for humans and the environment and identifies ethical and societal issues

News

Who is COGEM?

Publications

Publications in preparation

Highlighted publications

Advice Categories of genetically modified organisms exempted from an environmental risk assessment in the Biotech Act I

Advice Update on prerequisites for generic environmental risk assessment of clinical studies and marketing applications involving ex vivo retro- and lentiviral transduced cells

Grey Areas in the Regulation of Green and Red Biotechnology. Towards robust legislation for rapid technological change

Advice Explanation of the COGEM formula for calcu­lating free lentiviral or gammaretroviral vector particles after ex vivo transduction

Introgression from cultivated plants into their wild relatives

Advice Reassessment of the threshold values for the presence of free lentiviral and retroviral vector particles in clinical trials with ex vivo transduced cells

Joint open letter COGEM and ZKBS on the ERA of new vaccine developments based on samRNAs and VRPs

Risk Classification of Organisms: Pathogenicity classification of (a)patho­genic fungi Status November 2024

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Advice Explanation of the COGEM formula for calculating free lentiviral or gammaretroviral vector particles after ex vivo transduction

Risk Classification of Organisms: Pathogenicity classification of (a)pathogenic fungi Status November 2024