FSIS to Meet June 8 on Upcoming Codex Session
The Food Safety and Inspection Service is announcing a public meeting on June 8, 2010 in Washington, DC to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft U.S. positions that will be discussed at the upcoming session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC or Codex)1 in Switzerland in July 2010.
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Standards Developed by Codex Committees May Become Int’l Standards
The CAC may finalize standards developed in its Committees and publish them as regional or worldwide standards.
Issues to be Discussed at the Public Meeting
The following items on the agenda for the 33rd Session of the CAC will be discussed during the June 8, 2010 public meeting:
- Draft Standards and Related Texts Submitted to the Commission for Adoption;
- Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts Submitted at Step 5;
- Existing Codex Standards and Related Texts whose Revocation is Recommended;
- Proposals for the Elaboration of New Standards and Related Texts;
- Financial and Budgetary Matters;
- Strategic Planning of the Codex Alimentarius Commission;
- General Matters Arising from the Reports of Codex Committees and Task Forces; and
- Amendments to the Codex Procedural Manual;
- FAO/WHO Project and Trust Fund for Enhanced Participation in Codex.
FSIS sources state it will issue to the public a draft position paper on all the agenda items that will come before the committee. However, the draft is still being developed and must be requested from the contact party closer to the public meeting.
Conference Call-In Available
Interested persons will also be able to listen to the meeting through a conference call.
1Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice, and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their implementation by governments, Codex seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in food trade; and promote coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and nongovernmental organizations.
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 06/01/09 news, 09060130, for BP summary of FSIS’ 2009 annual list of standard-setting activities of Codex, etc.)
FSIS contact - Barbara McNiff (202) 690-4719
FSIS notice (FR Pub 05/19/10) available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-12005.pdf