WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures 29 October 2003 (03-5751) Original: English INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION Communication from the Codex Alimentarius Commission 1. The 26 th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission was held in Rome, Italy, from 30 June to 7 July 2003. 2. The Commission: Adopted amendments to the Rules of Procedure concerning the membership of Regional Economic Integration Organizations, and on consensus; Adopted 59 new or revised Codex standards or related texts, including Guidelines for the Judgement of Equivalence of Sanitary Measures Associated with Food Inspection and Certification Systems, and Principles and Guidelines for the food safety assessment of foods derived from biotechnology (see Appendices I and II); Adopted Principles for Food Safety Risk Analysis to be used in the Codex framework; Took relevant decisions in order to implement the recommendations of the Joint FAO/WHO Evaluation of Codex Alimentarius, enacting some recommendations immediately and requesting the Codex Committee on General Principles to meet in special session to draft the Rules required to implement others. Welcomed progress made on the FAO/WHO Trust Fund for Participation of Developing Countries in Codex Standard Setting Procedures and expressed the hope that it would soon become operational. Meetings since the last SPS Committee Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (Mexico City, Mexico, 8-12 September 2003) Committee on Fish and Fishery Products (Aalesund, Norway, 13 17 October 2003) Forthcoming Meetings Committee on Nutrition and Food for Special Dietary Uses (Bonn, Germany, 3-8 November 2003) Committee on General Principles (Special Session) (Paris, France, 17 21 November 2003) Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (Brisbane, Australia, 1-5 December 2003) Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland, 4-6 February 2004) Committee on Meat Hygiene (Auckland, New Zealand, 16 20 February 2004) Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (Budapest, Hungary, 7-14 March 2004)
Page 2 3. The special session (19 th ) of the Codex Committee on General Principles will consider rules to implement some of the recommendations of the Joint FAO/WHO Evaluation of the Codex Alimentarius. In particular: amendments to the Rules of Procedure, including the structure and functions of the Executive Committee and the participation of international organizations in the work of the Commission; consideration of the status of Observers in the Executive Committee; processes for Standards Management Review; review of the Guidelines for Codex Committees; and other proposals to facilitate standard development (other than the Standards Management process). 4. The 12 th Session of the Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems will consider the revision of the Codex Guidelines for the Exchange of Information in Food Control Emergency Situations, and discussion papers on traceability/product tracing in the context of food import and export inspection and certification systems and on the judgement of equivalence of technical regulations associated with food inspection and certification systems.
Page 3 APPENDIX I LIST OF STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS ADOPTED BY THE TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION Standards Standard for Aqueous Coconut Products: Coconut Milk and Coconut Cream Standard for Boiled Dried Salted Anchovies Standard for Canned Bamboo Shoots Standard for Canned Stone Fruits Standard for Chocolate and Chocolate Products Standard for Cream and Prepared Creams: Revision Standard for Fermented Milks: Revision Standard for Named Vegetable Oils: Amendments (Mid-Oleic Acid Sunflower Oil, Palm Superolein and additional data to Table 3 and 4) Standard for Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils: Revision Standard for Pitahayas Standard for Sweet Cassava Standard for Whey Powders: Revision Standards for Limes, Pummelos and Grapefruits: Revised Provisions: Section 3 Provisions concerning Sizing and Section 6.2.4 Commercial Identification General Standard for Cheese: Amendment - Appendix on Cheese Rind, Surface and Coating General Standard for Food Additives: Amendments to Annexes and Tables General Standard for Irradiated Foods: Revision General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods: Amendment to Class Names Code of Practices Code of Hygienic Practice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products Code of Practice for the Prevention (Reduction) of Mycotoxin Contamination in Cereals, including Annexes on Ochratoxin A, Zearalenone, Fumonisin and Tricothecenes Code of Practice on the Prevention and Reduction of Patulin Contamination in Apple Juice and Apple Juice Ingredients in Other Beverages Code of Practice for the Radiation Processing of Food; Revision Guidelines Principles for the Risk Analysis of Foods Derived from Modern Biotechnology Guideline for the Conduct of Food Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant-DNA Plants Annex on the Assessment of Possible Allergenicity of the Guideline for the Conduct of Food Safety Assessment of Foods derived from Recombinant-DNA Plants Guideline for the Conduct of Food Safety Assessment of Foods Produced Using Recombinant- DNA Microorganisms Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point System and Guidelines for its Application; Revision (Annex to the Recommended International Code of Practice General Principles of Food Hygiene) Guidelines for Food Import Control Systems Guidelines for the Judgment of Equivalence of Sanitary Measures Associated with Food Inspection and Certification Systems Guidelines for Packing Media for Canned Fruits Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods: Amendment to Section 5: Criteria African Regional Guidelines for National Codex Contact Points and National Codex Committees
Page 4 Guidelines on Good Laboratory Practice in Pesticide Residue Analysis: Revision Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling: Amendment General Principles of Meat Hygiene Harmonized IUPAC Guidelines for Single-Laboratory Validation of Methods of Analysis Other texts Glossary of Terms and Definitions for Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods: Amendments Extraneous Maximum Residue Limits International Numbering System for Food Additives: Amendments Advisory Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives Maximum Levels for Patulin in Apple Juice and Apple Juice Ingredients in Other Beverages Maximum Limits for Pesticide Residues Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs General Methods of Analysis for Additives and Contaminants General Methods of Analysis for the Detection of Irradiated Foods Recommended Methods of Analysis for Pesticide Residues: Amendments to the Introduction Section
Page 5 APPENDIX II LIST OF STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS REVOKED BY THE TWENTY-SIXTH SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION STANDARDS OR RELATED TEXT Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides Recommended for Revocation Maximum Residue Limits Recommended for Revocation General Standard for Vegetable Juices (CODEX STAN 179-1991) Regional European Standard for Mayonnaise (CODEX STAN 168-1989) Standard for Chocolate (CODEX STAN 87-1981)* Standard for Composite and Filled Chocolate (CODEX STAN 142-1983)* Standard for Cocoa Butter Confectionary (CODEX STAN 147-1985)* Standard for Yoghurt (Yogurt) and Sweetened Yoghurt (Yogurt) (CODEX STAN A-11(a)-1975)** Standard for Flavoured Yoghurt (Yogurt) and Products Heat-Treated after Fermentation (CODEX STAN A-11(b)-1976) ** Standard for Canned Apricots (CODEX STAN 129-1981) Standard for Canned Peaches (CODEX STAN 14-1981) Standard for Canned Plums (CODEX STAN 59-1981) Code of Practice for Fresh Fish (CAC/RCP 9-1976) Code of Practice for Frozen Fish (CAC/RCP 16-1978) Code of Practice for Minced Fish (CAC/RCP 27-1983) Code of Practice for Canned Fish (CAC/RCP 10-1976) * Replaced by the Codex Standard for Chocolate and Chocolate Products ** Replaced by the Codex Standard for Fermented Milks Replaced by the Codex Standard for Canned Stone Fruits Replaced by the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products