WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2007 - The Interagency Working Group on Import Safety is announcing a public meeting to explore actions that public and private stakeholders can take to promote the safety of products imported into the United States.

The public meeting will be held from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1, 2007, in the Jefferson Auditorium, South Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, D.C. 20250.

The objective of the public meeting is to identify and recommend actions that government, industry and consumers involved in the production, distribution, regulation and use of imported products can take to promote the safety of such products.

Individuals interested in attending the meeting in person or by teleconference and those wishing to make a presentation at the meeting are requested to register by Sept. 17 by e-mail to Erik Mettler at Erik.Mettler@fda.hhs.gov.

The Working Group was established by Executive Order on July 18, 2007, to conduct a comprehensive review of current import safety practices and determine where improvements can be made. The Working Group is chaired by the Department of Health and Human Services' Secretary Michael O. Leavitt and includes officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of State, Department of Treasury, Department of Justice, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Department of Homeland Security, Office of Management and Budget, Office of the United States Trade Representative, Environmental Protection Agency and Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The Working Group plans to release a Strategic Framework to promote import safety to the President by Sept. 17. An Action Plan will be released by mid-November 2007 that will address feedback received from the public and recommend specific actions the federal government and all stakeholders can take to enhance import safety on all levels.

This meeting announcement will be published in the August 30 Federal Register. Written or electronic comments on the topics to be discussed at the public meeting must be submitted by Oct.1 to the Division of Dockets Management (HFA-305), Food and Drug Administration, 5630 Fishers Lane, Room 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 Docket No. 2009-0330.

For further information about the meetings or to request special accommodations, contact Erik Mettler, Office (HF-11), Food and Drug Administration, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852, by phone (301) 827-3360, fax (301)0594-6777 or e-mail Erik.Mettler@fda.hhs.gov.