Governmental programs that regulate the introduction of biotechnologies on a given territory rely on a registration process, a decision-making process that aims to identify, evaluate, and minimize the risks associated with the introduction of a product or substance. The registration process includes risk assessments that are presented as being neutral, empirical, and strictly scientific. Nevertheless, many value judgements occur during an assessment, given that “normative questions” are inevitably raised. However, an analysis of Canadian, American, and European regulatory frameworks reveals how these regulations treat and even resolve certain normative questions. By doing so, they highlight the role of legislative, regulatory, and administrative rules, as well as their potential to arbitrate the scientific and ethical content of the registration process.