The Codex Alimentarius Commission, at its 23rd session in 1999, established an Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology to consider the health and nutritional implications of such foods. The Task Force held 4 sessions and completed its work within four years (July 2003). At its 27th session, held from 28 June to 3 July 2004 in Geneva, Switzerland, the Commission agreed to establish a new Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology with the understanding that its final report should be submitted to the Commission in 2009. The first session of this new Task Force (i.e. the fifth session in total) takes place in Chiba, Japan on 19-23 September 2005. The agenda and documents for the session are now available at http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/current.jsp (in English, French and Spanish) or contact [email protected] for further information. The Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission is an intergovernmental body set up to establish international standards on foods.

10/09/2005