[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11823-11824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-5850]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 99-014N]


Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex): Meeting of the Codex 
Committee on Food Labelling

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United 
States Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, 
United States Department of Health and Human Services are sponsoring a 
public meeting on March 16, 1999, to provide information and receive 
public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at the Twenty-
Seventh Session of the Food Labelling Committee of Codex, which will be 
held in Ottawa, Canada, April 27-30, 1999. The co-sponsors of the March 
16 public meeting recognize the importance of providing interested 
parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the Twenty-
seventh Session of the Food Labelling Committee of Codex and to address 
items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 16, 1999, 
from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Room 1813 Federal Office

[[Page 11824]]

Building 8, 200 C St. SW, Washington, DC. To register for the meeting, 
contact Ms. Theresa Thomas by telephone at (202) 205-4210 or by FAX at 
(202) 205-4594 no later than March 10, 1999. If a sign language 
interpreter or other special accommodation is necessary, contact Ms. 
Thomas at the above telephone number. Submit one original and two 
copies of comments to the FSIS Docket Clerk, Docket No. 99-014N, Room 
102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700. All 
comments submitted in response to this notice will be considered part 
of the public record and will be available for viewing in the Docket 
Room between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Patrick J. Clerkin, Associate U.S. 
Manager for Codex, U.S. Codex Office, Food Safety and Inspection 
Service, Room 4861, South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 
Washington, DC 20250-3700, Phone: (202) 205-7760, Fax: (202) 720-3157.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Codex was established in 1962 by two United Nations organizations, 
the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health 
Organization. Codex is the major international organization for 
encouraging fair international trade in food and protecting the health 
and economic interests of consumers. Through adoption of food 
standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its 
committees, and by promoting their adoption and implementation by 
governments, Codex seeks to ensure that the world's food supply is 
sound, wholesome, free from adulteration, and correctly labeled.
    The Codex Committee on Food Labelling was established to draft 
provisions on labelling applicable to all foods; to consider, amend if 
necessary, and endorse draft specific provisions on labelling prepared 
by the Codex Committees drafting standards, codes of practice and 
guidelines; to study specific labelling problems assigned to it by the 
Commission; and to study problems associated with the advertisement of 
food with particular reference to claims and misleading descriptions. 
Issues to be discussed at the March 16, 1999, public meeting:

1. Matters referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and other 
Codex committees
2. Draft guidelines for the production, processing, labelling and 
marketing of organically produced foods
3. Draft amendment to the general standard for the labelling of 
prepackaged foods (25% Rule)
4. Proposed draft recommendations for the labelling of foods obtained 
through biotechnology
5. Proposed draft amendment to the general standard (class names)
6. Proposed draft amendment to the guidelines on nutrition labelling
7. Proposed draft recommendations for the use of health claims
8. Proposed draft guidelines for sport and energy drinks
9. Proposed draft guidelines for the use of the term vegetarian

F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex.
[FR Doc. 99-5850 Filed 3-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P