Foodlaw-Reading
Dr David Jukes, The University of Reading, UK
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Codex Report (REP18/CAC), 2-6 July 2018
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Report of the CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION Forty-first Session This document is available on the Codex website (click on image) |
The following is the Executive Summary taken from the report:
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
With regard to standard setting the Commission:
a) adopted maximum residue limits (MRLs) for different pesticides in various foods and feeds;
b) adopted maximum levels (MLs) for methylmercury in certain fish species and for cadmium in chocolate;
c) adopted MRLs for veterinary drugs used in food-producing animals, an amendment to the Procedural Manual in regard to risk analysis principles for residues of veterinary drugs in foods, and the Risk Management Recommendation for Gentian Violet;
d) adopted revisions of the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products: Guidance for histamine control;
e) adopted the Code of Practice for the prevention and reduction of dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and nondioxin-like PCB contamination in food and feed;
f) adopted the food-additive provisions of the General Standard for Food Additives, the revised foodadditive sections of a number of Codex Standards, the revision of the Class Names and the International Numbering System for Food Additives and the Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives;
g) adopted the revision of the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods, Date Marking;
h) adopted standards for aubergines and quinoa; and
i) approved new work, proposals for the discontinuation of work and for the revocation of existing Codex texts
With regard to Codex work management and budgetary and financial matters the Commission:
j) highlighted the importance of science and the observance of Codex procedures and consensus in the Codex decision-making process and endorsed the proposal by CCEXEC75 that the Secretariat coordinate the preparation of a report on the use of relevant aspects of the provisions of the Procedural Manual;
k) agreed that it was important to maintain a wide range of options and flexibility when deciding on working methods for the development of Codex texts and that decisions on the approach should be made on a case-by-case basis depending on the nature of work;
l) agreed to request the Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) to formulate procedural guidance for committees working by correspondence based on and consistent with relevant existing guidance in Procedural Manual;
m) affirmed that existing Codex procedures included sufficient flexibility to fast-track the development of standards, while noting that a more systematic but not necessarily periodic review of Codex standards could increase their relevance and requested CCEXEC to advise the Commission further on this matter;
n) reiterated its support for the ongoing Codex work on Antimicrobial Resistance highlighting its contribution to global efforts to tackling this issue; and
o) acknowledged the reports on expenditure in the past and current biennia and noted the budget proposal for 2020-2021, encouraged the Secretariat to continue its close monitoring of expenditure and expressed its appreciation for contributions from host countries and in-kind contributions to the Secretariat from Germany, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
With regard to FAO/WHO scientific advice and policy-related issues relevant to the work of Codex the Commission:
p) recognized FAO and WHO efforts to accelerate delivery and ensure continuous improvement of scientific advice and recommended that FAO and WHO provide adequate sustainable funding for the joint FAO/WHO scientific advice programme;
q) noted the information provided by FAO and WHO on policy-related issues, capacity development activities to support member countries, and the Codex Trust Fund; and
r) encouraged members to advocate at the national level to support the establishment of a world food safety day by the United Nations General Assembly.
With regard to election of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons the Commission:
s) Re-elected, as Chairperson, Mr Guilherme Antonio da Costa Jr. (Brazil) and, as Vice-Chairpersons, Mr Purwiyatno Hariyadi (Indonesia), Ms Mariam Eid (Lebanon) and Mr Steve Wearne (United Kingdom).
