[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 99 (Monday, May 24, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27955-27956]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-12881]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 99-030N]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Sessions of the Executive 
Committee and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex)

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comment.

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

SUMMARY: The Office of Under Secretary for Food Safety United States 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), is sponsoring a public meeting on 
June 2, 1999. The purpose of this meeting is to provide information and 
receive public comments on agenda items to be discussed at the Forty-
sixth Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission and the Twenty-third Session of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission, which will be held in Rome, Italy, from June 24-25, 1999, 
and June 28-July 3, 1999, respectively.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 2, 1999, 
from 9 AM to 12:30 PM.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Room 107A, Jamie L. 
Whitten Building, 12th Street and Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC. 
Send an original and two copies of comments to: FSIS Docket Clerk, 
Docket #99-030N, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and 
Inspection Service, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street, SW, 
Washington, DC 20250-3700. All comments submitted in response to this 
notice will be available for public inspection in the Docket Clerk's 
Office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: F. Edward Scarbrough, Ph.D., U.S. 
Manager for Codex Alimentarius, Room 4861, South Building, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture, 14th and Independence

[[Page 27956]]

Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250; Telephone (202) 205-7760.

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 principal 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. Codex 
meets biennially. The Executive Committee serves as the executive body 
of Codex between meetings.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items will be discussed during the public meeting on 
June 2, 1999.
    1. Election of Officers of the Commission and Appointment of 
Regional Coordinators.
    2. Reports on the Forty-fifth and Forty-sixth Sessions of the 
Executive Committee. (These include proposals to the Commission 
regarding the general orientation and program of work of the 
Commission.)
    3. Report of the financial situation of the Joint FAO/WHO
    Food Standards Programme for 1998/99 and 2000/01.
    4. Consideration of the Draft Medium-term Plan for 1998 to 2002. 
(This plan identifies work to be conducted by the Commission by program 
area and describes the medium-term objectives of that work.)
    5. Consumers' involvement in the work of the Commission.
    6. Principles of Risk Analysis.
    7. Consideration of Amendments to the Procedure Manual of the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission. (These are matters that pertain to the 
operations of the Commission.)
    8. Consideration of Draft Standards and Related Texts. (These are 
items being considered at Step 5 or Step 8 of the Codex Procedure for 
the elaboration of Codex Standards and Related Texts.)
    9. Consideration of Proposals to Elaborate New Standards and/or 
Related Texts.
    10. Matters Arising from Reports of Codex Committees.
    11. Designation of Host Governments for Codex Committees.

Public Meeting

    The public meeting is scheduled for June 2, 1999, in Room 107A, 
Jamie L. Whitten Building, 12th Street and Jefferson Drive, SW, 
Washington, DC. Attendees will hear brief descriptions of the issues 
and proposed U.S. positions, and will have the opportunity to pose 
questions and offer comments. Comments also may be sent to the FSIS 
Docket Room (see ADDRESSES). Please state that your comments relate to 
Codex activities and specify which issues your comments address.

    Done at Washington, DC on May 17, 1999.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex.
[FR Doc. 99-12881 Filed 5-21-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P