Progress has been made towards acceptance of a defined laboratory test method for determining the toxicity of preservatives against soft rot fungi (Documents IRG/WP/201 and IRG/WP/208) and, at the 1971 meeting in Brussels, the framework of collaboration for the next phase of testing was discussed. Time available at Brussels did not permit restatement of objectives, consideration of the stages by which they may be achieved or the difficulties likely to be encountered in interpreting test results.