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[Federal Register: October 6, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 195)]
[Notices]
[Page 59818-59820]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06oc00-50]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
Notice of Public Meeting on U.S.
Participation in the 17th Annual Meeting of the International Consultative Group
on Food Irradiation
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
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SUMMARY: FAS is informing the public of a meeting to be held
Friday, October 20, 2000, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in
Washington, DC. The purpose of this meeting is to solicit public comment on U.S.
participation in the 17th annual meeting of the International Consultative Group
on Food Irradiation (ICGFI), November 1-3, 2000, in Geneva, Switzerland,
including future activities (Plan of Work), U.S. level of contributions
(funding), and ICGFI's role. It is also to seek public input in identifying any
new issues of concern that should be considered.
Representatives from past delegations will also be present to
apprise the public of the background of ICGFI, its mandate, past contributions
and to respond to questions. ICGFI was established under the joint aegis of the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
The functions of ICGFI are:
1. To evaluate global developments in the field of food
irradiation;
2. To provide a focal point of advice on the application of
food irradiation to Member States and the three Organizations; and
3. To furnish information, as required, through the
Organizations, to the Joint FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committee on the Wholesomeness
of Irradiated Food and the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
DATES: The public meeting date is Friday, October 20, 2000, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.,
Washington, DC in the back of the cafeteria, South Building. Written comments
should be submitted by October 17, 2000. All visitors should enter at Wing 2 on
the C Street side of the South Building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Foreign Agricultural Service, International
Trade Policy, Food Safety and Technical Services Division, Room 5545, South
Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250; (202) 720-1301;
or e-mail ofsts@fas.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Topics To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting Include the Following:
Should the United States continue to support ICGFI financially?Should United
States government funding for ICGFI continue at the same level, increase, or
decrease?
Should contributions continue to come only from the Government, or should
industry contribute as well (or in place of the Government)?Should the proposed
``Programme of Work and Budget for 2001'' be approved?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated
Programme of
work
budget
(US$)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. International Trade
(a) Food Irradiation Process Control School (FIPCOS)
for 25,000
Food
Inspectors.........................................
(b) Workshop on Food Safety/Trade in Irradiated Food
With 10,000
the
SU..................................................
(c) Workshop on Certification of Food Irradiation
Process 25,000
in Latin
America........................................
(d) Establishing an Irradiation Promotion Council
E- 15,000
Commerce to Facilitate Trade in Irradiated
Food.........
2. Codification
(a) Amendments to Codex General Standard for
Irradiated 5,000
Foods and Its Code of Practice (through the Codex
Committee on Food Additives and
Contaminants)...........
(b) Amendment to the Labeling Provisions on
Irradiated 5,000
Foods (through the Codex Committee on Food Labelling)...
(c) Publication of Revised Code of Good
Irradiation in-kind
Practice................................................
3. Information Transfer
(a) Publication of Brochure on Application of
``High-Dose in-kind
Irradiation of
Food''...................................
(b) ICGFI/IUFoST Symposium on Food
Irradiation........... 10,000
(c) Preparation of Education Materials on
Food
5,000
Irradiation.............................................
(d) Publication of Brochure on ``Irradiation
Food in-kind
Safety''................................................
4. Database
(a) Maintain database on list of clearance of
irradiated no-cost
food....................................................
(b) Update current databases: national
regulations, no-cost
authorized food irradiation facilities, authorized
packaging, materials,
etc...............................
5. Administration
(a) One professional staff
(part-time)................... 45,000
(b) One support staff (full
time)........................ 60,000
(c)
Travel...............................................
10,000
(d) Miscellaneous (telephone, shipping,
etc.)............ 5,000
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What is the appropriate role for industry and consumer
groups?
Should industry participate as delegates?
Are there any other topics we think ICGFI should address?
Background Information on ICGFI
What Is ICGFI?
An independent body composed of government-designat experts
on food irradiation.
How Was ICGFI Formed?
In 1982, the Directors General of FAO, IAEA and WHO invited
Member States to consider forming a consultative group to focus in international
co-operation in food irradiation. Upon receipt of a favorable response from 44
Member States, those present at a meeting in 1983 drafted a Declaration
establishing the International Consultative Group on Food Irradiation (ICGFI).
ICGFI, composed of experts or other participantsdesignated by each government,
was established in 1984 for an initial period of 5 years.
How Is ICGFI Organized?
FAO, IAEA and WHO, through the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of
Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture based at the IAEA, Vienna, serve as
ICGFI's Secretariat.
What Are the Functions of ICGFI?
1. To evaluate global developments in the field of food
irradiation;
2. To provide a focal point of advice on the application of
food irradiation to Member States and the three Organizations; and
3. To furnish information, as required, through the
Organizations, to the Joint FAO/IAEA/WHO Expert Committee on the Wholesomeness
of Irradiated Food and the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Who Determines the Priorities?
ICGFI funds and operates its own programs, focusing on
developing policy guidelines related to the safety assurance of the process,
legislation, public information, economic feasibility, food safety, and
international trade.
How Does ICGFI Acquire Funding?
Member State governments pledge, or arrange for participants
to pledge to make voluntary contributions in cash or in kind, for carrying out
the activities of the Consultative Group. The Consultative Group may accept
voluntary contributions in cash or in kind from Non-Member State governments and
from organizations whose objectives are consistent with those of the
Consultative Group.
What Are the Guidelines for Donations to ICGFI?
1. IAEA rules govern the acceptance of gifts of services,
equipment, facilities and money.
2. Voluntary contributions may be offered to the Agency by:
United Nations Member State governments, intergovernmental organizations and
non-governmental sources.
3. Contributions may not exceed US $100,000 or its equivalent
per year.
How Much Does the United States Contribute?
For the past 2 years, various Departments and Agencies have
together contributed $20,000 to ICGFI each year.
How Frequently Does ICGFI Meet?
ICGFI convenes annual meetings to develop technical
recommendations and to consider its program of work and budget. At the 10th
Annual Meeting held at WHO Headquarters in Geneva from November 2-4, 1993, the
group's experts recommended that the ICGFI mandate be extended for a further 5
years until May 1999.
How Much Longer Does ICGFI's Mandate Last?
Many of the activities set out for ICGFI in the original
mandate have been accomplished. However, a Task Force identified six areas of
activity in which further work is needed. In October 1998 at the 15th Annual
Meeting, the mandate of the ICGFI was extended to another 3 years, i.e., May
1999 to May 2002. The ICGFI program will be co-ordinated by a Management
Committee and will be refocused, putting emphasis on international trade,
information exchange, high dose irrigation and seminars/training.
What Kind of Training is ICGF Involved With?
One example is the FAO/IAEA/WHO International Conference on
Irradiation to Ensure the Safety and Quality of Food, in Antalya, Turkey,
October 19-22, 1999. This Conference reviewed achievements on food irradiation
during the 20th century and examine the rule of irradiation to ensure the safety
and quality of food in trade. Irradiation is increasingly accepted and applied
as a sanitary and phytosanitary treatment of food in trade. Currently, some 50
countries have approved one or more irradiated foods items or classes of food
for consumption and over 30 countries are actually applying the technology in
practice. The number of irradiation facilities available for treating food has
increased in recent years with many more under construction or planned.
Consumers are getting accurate information and are beginning to appreciate the
benefit of irradiated food. Another example is the Trade
Opportunities for Irradiated Food in Hawaii; 22-24 May 2000 to inform
representatives of the food industry and trade in Asia and the Pacific and the
USA of the role of irradiation as a sanitary and phytosanitary treatment in
order to expedite international trade in food and agricultural commodities.
Who Belongs to ICGFI?
The group is currently composed of the following 47 Member
States, more than half of which are developing countries: Argentina, Australia,
Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria,
[[Page 59820]]
Canada, Chile, People's Republic of China, Costa Rica, Cote D'Ivoire, Croatia,
Cuba, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hungary,
India, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Mexico,
Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland,
Portugal, South Africa, Syrian Arab Republic, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey,
Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam, and Yugoslavia.
Do Only Government Representatives Attend ICGFI Meetings?
Meetings are attended by designated experts from ICGFI member
governments, and representatives of other interested governments, international
organizations and non-governmental organizations are invited by ICGFI to attend
as observers.
Where Is the Secretariat Located?
Food & Environmental Protection Section, Joint FAO/IAEA
Division of
Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, International Atomic Energy
Agency, Wagramerstrasse 5, P.O. Box 100, A-1400 Vienna, Austria. Phone:
(43-1) 2600 extension 21638 or 21639; Facsimile: (43-1) 26007; e-mail:
Official.Mail@iaea.org
How Does ICGFI Communicate With All the Countries?
There is an ICGFI National Contact Point for each Member
State.
What Are the Responsibilities of ICGFI Contact Points?
1. Distribution within the country of documents, working
papers and
other information material emanating from ICGFI or its Secretariat;
2. Co-ordinating the preparation for transmission to
the
Secretariat of technical comments/information requested;
3. Taking follow-up action on particular matters, in
collaboration
with the expert(s) attending the particular ICGFI meeting;
4. Providing information, as available, to the Secretariat on
the
status of food irradiation technology, its regulatory control and other
related topics of interest to ICGFI; and
5. Ensuring that information made available by the ICGFI
Secretariat is disseminated to the interested national entities/
individuals.
Public Meeting
The public meeting will take place at the U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC, back of the cafeteria,
South Building. To accommodate all public forum participants, we request that
individuals planning to attend should so inform the Department in advance by
contacting: Foreign Agricultural Service, International Trade Policy, Food
Safety and Technical Services Division, Room 5545, South Building, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250; (202) 720-1301; or e-mail ofsts@fas.usda.gov.
Please indicate the organization represented, if any, including the names and
titles of individuals attending.
Written Comments
Those persons wishing to submit written comments should
provide five (5) typed copies to Foreign Agricultural Service, International
Trade Policy, Food Safety and Technical Services Division, Stop Code 1027, Room
5545, South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250.
If the submission contains business confidential information,
five copies of a non-confidential version must also be submitted. A
justification as to why the information contained in the submission should be
treated confidentially must be included in the submission. In addition, any
submissions containing business confidential information must be clearly marked
``Confidential'' at the top and bottom of the cover page (or letter) and of each
succeeding page of the submission. The version that does not contain
confidential information should also be clearly marked, at the top and bottom of
each page, ``public version'' or ``nonconfidential.''
Written comments submitted in connection with this request,
except for information deemed ``business confidential'' by FAS
will be available for public inspection in the USDA Reading Room, Room 1141,
USDA South Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC. Normal
Reading Room hours are from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except
holidays. Please call (202) 690-2817 to assure that assistance will be available
in the Reading Room.
Dated: October 2, 2000
Timothy J. Galvin,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
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