Switzerland carries out measurements of its biological diversity since 2001. In the Swiss Biodiversity Monitoring Programme (BDM) evenly-spread random plots from all over the country are sampled to draw conclusions about Switzerland as a whole. A central coordination office compiles data collection, analysis and publication. Besides biological knowledge professional skills in project management are needed to successfully run such a large monitoring programme. From a conceptional point of view the sampling concept of BDM meets the basic principles of general surveillance proposed for Europe. BDM provides baseline information that can be used to detect unanticipated consequences of the cultivation of GM plants. Depending on the precision the impacts of GM plants are to be addressed, BDM offers different possibilities to serve a general surveillance.