[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 169 (Friday, August 31, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 50374-50376]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-17305]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Food and Drug Administration

[Docket No. 2007N-0330]


Presidential Interagency Working Group on Import Safety; Public 
Meeting

AGENCY: Food and Drug Administration, HHS.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Interagency Working Group on Import Safety (Working Group) 
is announcing a public meeting to identify actions the public and 
private sectors can take to promote the safety of products imported 
into the United States. The Working Group was created by the Executive 
order on July 18, 2007.

DATES: The public meeting will be held on October 1, 2007, from 8 a.m. 
to 6 p.m. Persons interested in attending the meeting in person or by 
teleconference must register by September 17, 2007. See section III.B 
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document for details 
on how to register. Submit written or electronic comments by October 1, 
2007.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in the Jefferson Auditorium, 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., South 
Bldg., Washington, DC 20090. The public may

[[Page 50375]]

also attend or present at the meeting by teleconference (audio bridge).
    Submit written comments to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-
305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, rm. 1061, 
Rockville, MD 20852. Submit electronic comments to either http://www.fda.gov/dockets/ecomments or http://www.regulations.gov. All 
comments should be identified with the docket number found in brackets 
in the heading of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information regarding the meeting 
or this notice: Erik Mettler, Office of Policy (HF-11), Food and Drug 
Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857, 301-827-3360, 
FAX: 301-594-6777, e-mail: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Working Group was established by Executive Order 13439 on July 
18, 2007, to conduct a comprehensive review of current import safety 
practices and determine where improvements can be made. The Working 
Group, chaired by the Department of Health and Human Services' 
Secretary Michael O. Leavitt, is comprised of officials from the 
Department of Health and Human Services; the Department of State; the 
Department of the Treasury; the Department of Justice; the Department 
of Agriculture; the Department of Commerce; the Department of 
Transportation; the Department of Homeland Security; the Office of 
Management and Budget; the Office of the United States Trade 
Representative; the Environmental Protection Agency; and the Consumer 
Product Safety Commission.
    The mission of the Working Group is to identify actions and 
appropriate steps that can be pursued, within existing resources, to 
promote the safety of imported products, including the following:
    (1) Reviewing or assessing current procedures and methods aimed at 
ensuring the safety of products exported to the United States; these 
current procedures and methods include: Reviewing existing cooperation 
with foreign governments, foreign manufacturers, and others in the 
exporting country's private sector regarding their inspection and 
certification of exported goods and factories producing exported goods; 
and considering whether additional initiatives should be undertaken 
with respect to exporting countries or companies;
    (2) Identifying potential means to promote all appropriate steps by 
U.S. importers to enhance the safety of imported products, including 
identifying best practices by U.S. importers in selection of foreign 
manufacturers, inspecting manufacturing facilities, inspecting goods 
produced on their behalf either before export or before distribution in 
the United States, identifying origin of products, and safeguarding the 
supply chain; and
    (3) Surveying authorities and practices of Federal, State, and 
local government agencies regarding the safety of imports to identify 
best practices and enhance coordination among agencies.
    The Working Group plans to release a Strategic Framework to promote 
import safety and deliver this report to the President by the September 
17, 2007, due date (see DATES). The Working Group plans to release a 
followup Action Plan by mid-November 2007. This Action Plan will take 
into consideration the feedback received from the public, and recommend 
specific actions the Federal Government and all parties involved can 
take to enhance import safety on all levels.

II. Purpose of the Public Meeting

    The objective of the Import Safety public meeting, to be held on 
October 1, 2007, is to identify and recommend actions that persons 
involved in the production, distribution, importation, regulation, and 
use of imported products, including government, industry, and consumers 
can take to promote the safety of such products.
    To help achieve this objective, the Working Group would like public 
comments to address the following questions:
    1. What are the key challenges for industry, consumers, and 
foreign, State and local governments to ensure the safety of products 
imported into the United States?
    2. Consistent with the Strategic Framework, the Working Group will 
recommend to the President by September 17, 2007, what actions should 
persons involved in the production, distribution, importation, 
regulation, and use of imported products, including Federal, State, 
local and foreign governments, manufacturers, distributors, brokers, 
importers, and consumers take, individually or jointly, to promote the 
safety of imported products? What should the Federal government and 
others do to implement or facilitate the implementation of these 
actions?
    3. For each action, what is the benefit(s) of implementing this 
recommendation? What is the cost(s) of implementing this 
recommendation? What challenge(s) does it address? Are there other 
actions that must or should be taken first before implementing this 
recommendation?

III. What Information Should You Know About the Meeting?

A. When and Where Will the Meeting Occur? What Format Will We Use?

    Through this document, we are announcing the convening of a public 
meeting to hear recommendations on actions that can be taken to promote 
import safety. Representatives from member Departments of the Working 
Group will preside over the meeting.
    We will conduct the meeting on October 1, 2007, in the Jefferson 
Auditorium (see ADDRESSES). The meeting format will include 
presentations by persons registered to speak.

B. How Do You Register for the Meeting or Submit Comments?

    If you wish to attend the meeting in person or by teleconference 
and/or make a presentation at the meeting, send an e-mail message to 
Erik Mettler (see FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT) by close of business 
on September 17, 2007. Your e-mail should include the following 
information: Name, company, company address, company telephone number, 
e-mail address, whether you will attend the meeting in person or by 
teleconference, and whether you wish to speak at the meeting. We will 
send you a confirmation within 2 business days after we receive your 
registration request. Registration is free and will be on a first-come, 
first-serve basis.
    We also will accept walk-in registration at the meeting site, but 
space is limited, and we will close registration when maximum seating 
capacity (approximately 500) is reached.
    We will try to accommodate all persons who wish to speak. The time 
allotted for presentations may depend on the number of persons who wish 
to speak. Individuals will be able to make a presentation at the 
meeting either in person or by teleconference.
    Additionally, regardless of whether you wish to make a presentation 
or simply attend the meeting, contact Erik Mettler (see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT) if you need any special accommodations (such as 
wheelchair access or a sign language interpreter).
    If you would like to submit electronic or written comments, please 
send your comments to the Division of Dockets

[[Page 50376]]

Management (see ADDRESSES). Submit a single copy of electronic comments 
or two paper copies of any written comments, except that individuals 
may submit one paper copy. Comments are to be identified with the 
docket number found in brackets in the heading of this document. 
Received comments may be seen in the Division of Dockets Management 
between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Written or electronic 
comments must be received no later than (see DATES).

C. Will Meeting Transcripts Be Available?

    We will prepare a meeting transcript and make it available on FDA's 
Web site (http://www.fda.gov/ohrms/dockets) after the meeting. We 
anticipate that transcripts will be available approximately 21 business 
days after the meeting. The transcript will also be available for 
public examination at the Division of Dockets Management (see 
ADDRESSES).

    Dated: August 24, 2007.
Jeffrey Shuren,
Assistant Commissioner for Policy.
[FR Doc. E7-17305 Filed 8-30-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4160-01-S