This paper reports on the Fall 1991 International Conference on the Classification of Economic Activity hosted by the Census Bureau, with the support and cooperation of the Office of Management and Budget.

It attempts to provide a sense of the nature, purpose, and participants in the conference, as well as selected historical perspectives leading to the conference. It then highlights some of the more salient themes emerging from the conference and describes the early, often procedural, consensus reached among leading federal participants and related actions taken.