ISEE-450 Introduction: Over the past decades, GEMS/Food has collected information on the levels and time-trends of many POPs in food, including human milk. GEMS/Food is currently supporting the development of regional total diet studies to assess exposure to contaminants in foods as consumed, and most of the twelve POPs will be included in these studies. Over the last 20 years, the WHO has sponsored three special surveys of dioxins, dibenzofurans and dioxin-like PCBs in human milk. Article 16 of the Stockholm Convention on POPs requires an effectiveness evaluation of the convention four years after its ratification. A series of meetings, convened by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): Chemicals on this issue, have recommended that human milk be one of the media to be monitored, and have urged close collaboration between UNEP and the WHO in its implementation. Methods: GEMS/Food, in collaboration with the State Laboratory for Chemical and Veterinary Drug Analysis of Food in Freiburg, Germany, has completed a pilot study of human milk, to assess the feasibility of measuring all twelve POPs presently covered under the Stockholm Convention. In order to obtain reliable and comparable results, a Protocol for Collection, Handling and Analysis of Samples at the Country Level has been revised, in view of the WHO/UNEP proposed Coordinated Global Survey of Human Milk for POPs. This protocol has been designed based on the advice of experts in the field and on extensive experience of certain countries in undertaking similar surveys using human samples, including human milk. Results: The pilot study of human milk confirmed the feasibility of measuring all twelve POPs presently covered under the Stockholm Convention, in a single human milk sample, by application of additional analytical steps. This study also included polybrominated biphenylethers. The revised protocol presents an overview of the proposed survey, including criteria for the selection of donors, the donor questionnaire, collection of individual and pooled samples, and transport, preparation and analyses of samples. Data handling and assessment considerations are also addressed and ethical issues, like informed consent of donors and promotion of breastfeeding, are major considerations in this protocol. Conclusion: The WHO GEMS/Food Programme which maintains links to UNEP, FAO, IAEA and IPCS, is the most important global monitoring programme with relevance to POPs and other food contaminants. The revised protocol for collection, handling and analyses of human milk samples is intended to provide guidance to all countries that have ratified the Stockholm Convention, especially in regard to Article 16, and to countries that have taken part in previous GEMS/Food studies of human milk for POPs. This protocol will serve as the basis for national assessments, as part of a global survey of human milk for POPs. In order to promote reliability and comparability, countries are encouraged to adhere to this protocol, as closely as possible.