A number of draft International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs) have been approved for country consultation in 2003 by the Standards Committee of the Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures (the Commission is the governing body for the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)). One of the draft ISPMs aims to provides guidance on the criteria for evaluating potential risks to plants and plant health posed by living modified organisms. It is available at http://www.ippc.int/IPP/En/Publ/ISPM/Drafts03/drafts03e.htm (in English, French and Spanish). Comments on the draft ISPM should be channelled through the National official contact points for the respective countries, following the established guidelines on the IPPC website, before October 2003. The IPPC is a multilateral treaty, administered through the IPPC Secretariat located in FAO Headquarters, that aims to secure a common and effective action to prevent the spread and introduction of pests of plants and plant products, and to promote appropriate measures for their control. Contact [email protected] for more information.

30/06/2003