The risk assessment of genetically modified (GM) plants starts with hazard identification, duringwhich any characteristic of the GM plant potentially having adverse effects (hazards) on human andanimal health and the environment is identified. A comparative approach, based on data derived fromthe molecular, compositional and agronomic/phenotypic characterisation of GM plants, is typicallyfollowed internationally to identify differences between the GM plant and its conventionalcounterpart.