A last BBP flash before the summer break. We hope you have a delightful & relaxing holiday with friends and family!

Past event: BBP workshop on commissioning & decommissioning

Hot & tropical temperatures at the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp during our workshop on commissioning & decommissioning. However, this did not temper the enthusiasm of our participants and their eagerness to learn. Thank you to the speakers and participants for the interesting interactions!

The presentations on commission and decommission and the Q&A from the round table discussion can be found on the BBP-website, under ‘past BBP events and ‘materials’  [only available for attendees]

EBSA conference 2024 - Save the date!

After the successful EBSA 2023 meeting in Athens, the next EBSA conference and pre-conference courses will be held in Antwerp. Mark your calendars from May 14^th until May17^th, 2024.

If BBP members would like to join the local organizing committee (LOC), please contact the BBP steering team as soon as possible via bbp.steeringteam@ebsaweb.eu.

FAVV-AFSCA checklist for quarantine facilities

The FAVV-AFSCA checklist for quarantine facilities has been changed and adapted to the Plant Health Law.

Checklists can be consulted via https://www.foodweb.be/dynamofoodwebsite/nl

The pdf document with comments contains items which are described into more detail (e.g. plant passports).

CITES

The most recent international conclusions on trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora came into force on 23 February 2023. Since 20 May 2023, these changes have also been incorporated into EU legislation. However, the inclusion of some specific species in the CITES Appendices was included. The relevant rules will only come into force after a certain transitional period. Looking for more details about the new CITES species and the measures to be taken? Check:

• https://www.health.belgium.be/nl/news/inwerkingtreding-van-de-gewijzigde-europese-cites-bijlagen (NL)
• https://www.health.belgium.be/fr/news/entree-en-vigueur-des-annexes-europeennes-cites-modifiees (FR)

Viral replicon systems and their biosafety aspects

Some nice summer literature on viral replicon systems in the latest issue of Applied Biosafety!

Van der Meulen K, Smets G, Rüdelsheim P (2023) Viral Replicon Systems and Their Biosafety Aspects

Applied Biosafety 28:2, 102-122

The publication can be downloaded via https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/apb.2022.0037

Did you know?

SBB (Sciensano) nowadays sends out a notification when the SBB advice is finalized and is sent to the competent authority (this is only relevant for the procedure in Flanders and is not applicable to the Walloon region & Brussels Capital Region).

Did you recently obtain a biosafety permit? Congratulations! Before archiving your permit, carefully read & check the content of the SBB advice and the permit. Are any additional measures imposed? If any questions, ambiguities, mistakes are observed in the advice or permit, reach out to your competent authority for more detail and, if necessary, request an official corrigendum of the permit.

Research exemption information

Do you know the new regulations on research exceptions to patents that will apply in Belgium from 1 June 2023?

Some interesting reading:

• https://www.essenscia.be/octrooicel-kent-u-de-nieuwe-regelgeving-rond-de-onderzoeks-uitzondering-op-octrooien-die-in-belgie-van-toepassing-is-vanaf-1-juni-2023/ (NL)
• https://www.essenscia.be/fr/cellule-brevets-connaissez-vous-la-nouvelle-reglementation-relative-a-lexception-pour-la-recherche-en-matiere-de-brevets-qui-est-dapplication-en-belgique-a-partir-du-1er-juin-2023/ (FR)
• https://www.gevers.eu/blog/patents/will-crispr-gene-editing-suddenly-become-patent-infringement-on-june-1st/ (specifically for CRISPR-Cas activities)