2. The Session was opened by Mr. Tom Billy, Administrator, Food Safety and Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture and Vice Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Mr. Billy addressed the important role of Codex in establishing international standards to ensure food safety and to facilitate international trade. The impact of Codex standards in the context of the World Trade Organization Agreements on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and Technical Barriers to Trade was stressed. Mr. Billy commended the Committee for its work and progress to date, and especially noted its important role in facilitating discussions on the role of science within Codex. He concluded his remarks by encouraging the Committee to continue its emphasis on science as a basis for its decision making.
