Meetings which involve Agency staff or the Commissioners, other than Commission meetings, are classified in the following categories and shall be held according to the procedures outlined within each category.

(a) Hearings. Hearings are public inquiries held by direction of the Commission for the purpose of fact finding or to comply with statutory requirements. The Office of the Secretary is responsible for providing transcription services at the hearings. Where possible, notice of forthcoming hearings will be published in the Public Calendar and the Federal Register at least 30 days before the date of the hearings.

(b) Meetings between Commissioners or Agency staff and outside parties. The requirements for Agency meetings between Commissioners or Agency staff and outside parties involving substantial interest matters are contained in 16 CFR part 1012.

(c) Commission meetings. The requirements for Commission meetings under the Government in the Sunshine Act, 5 U.S.C. 552b are contained in 16 CFR part 1013.

(d) Staff meetings. As a general rule, only Agency employees attend staff meetings. At the discretion of the participants, Staff meetings may be listed on the Public Calendar and attendance by the public may be permitted. Recordkeeping is at the discretion of the participants.

(e) Advisory committee meetings. Meetings of the Agency's advisory committees are scheduled by the Commission. Advance notice will be given in both the Public Calendar and the Federal Register. Advisory committee meetings serve as a forum for discussion of matters relevant to the Agency's statutory responsibilities with the objective of providing advice and recommendations to the Commission. The Agency's advisory committees are the National Advisory Committee for the Flammable Fabrics Act, the Product Safety Advisory Council, the Technical Advisory Committee on Poison Prevention Packaging and the Toxicological Advisory Board. The Office of the Secretary is responsible for the recordkeeping for such meetings. The Commission's regulation for the management of its advisory committees is set out in 16 CFR part 1018.