2. The Session was opened by the Director-General of WHO, Dr. Gro Harlem Bruntland. She welcomed the participants and introduced the resolution of the World Health Assembly May 2000, which acknowledged that Codex Alimentarius was a fundamental tool for improving food safety and called on WHO to increase its involvement and technical support in the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. She stated that, in order to substantiate the decision, WHO would strengthen its capacity in providing sound scientific advice and will review the current working relationship with FAO under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.
3. The Executive Committee expressed its appreciation of the personal interest in the work of the Commission expressed by the Director-General in her statement and also appreciation for her efforts in bringing the issue of food safety in the Codex Alimentarius Commission to the attention of WHO Members.
