Meeting from 7-11 April 2003 in Rome, Italy, the fifth session of the Interim Commission for Phytosanitary Measures (ICPM) of the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) adopted several guidelines, including on the use of irradiation as a phytosanitary measure and on environmental risks in relation to pest risk analysis for quarantine pests.

It was noted that the negotiations generally went smoothly, however the use of terminology remained a challenge and a concern to delegates. The ICPM mainly utilizes terminology used under the Convention on Biological Diversity, and some delegates were concerned over the use of these definitions in different fora. The Commission made recommendations for future work at both national levels and between secretariats to clarify the terms used. For more information, visit: http://www.ippc.int/IPP/En/Archive/Icpm5/ICPM5.htm