The DNA Commission of the International Society for Forensic Haemogenetics (ISFH) has over the years, published a series of documents providing guidelines and recommendations concerning the application of DNA polymorphisms to problems of identification. The latest report published here, provides recommendations relating to the nomenclature of STR (short tandem repeat) typing systems which are at the forefront of systems used at present by forensic scientists and are likely to remain so for the immediate future. Also included in this number of the Journal is a paper by the European DNA Profiling Group (EDNAP) which also discusses and provides guidelines concerning the nomenclature of STR systems and as such complements the report of the DNA Commission of the ISFH.