7 – 10 March 2005

CODEX - Coordinating Committee For The Near East Region (3 rd Session) Amman, Jordan

The Third Session of the Coordinating Committee for the Near East Region reached the following conclusions:

Matters for Adoption by the 28th Session of the Commission

The Coordinating Committee agreed to forward :

• the proposed draft Regional Guidelines for Codex Contact Points and National Codex Committee for adoption at Step 5/8, with the omission of Steps 6 and 7 (see paras 54-66 and Appendix V);
• the re-named proposed draft Regional Standard for Canned Humus with Tehena (Processed Chickpeas with Tehena) for adoption at Step 5 (see paras 23-34 and Appendix II);
• the re-named proposed draft Regional Standard for Canned Foul Medames (Processed Fava Beans) for adoption at Step 5 (see paras 35-43 and Appendix III);
• the proposed draft Regional Standard for Tehena for adoption at Step 5 (see paras 48-53 and Appendix IV).

Matters of Interest to the 28th Session of the Commission

The Coordinating Committee:

• Agreed to finalize the standards for Canned Humus with Tehena (Processed Chick Peas with Tehena), Canned Foul Medames (Processed Fava Beans) and Tehena as regional standards and to consider preparing proposals for new work on their conversion to international standards at a later date (see paras 20-22);
• Reaffirmed the central role of the Regional Coordinating Committees in facilitating intra-regional coordination between countries on the work of the Commission as well as the matters related food safety and food control at the regional and national level (see paras 10-12);
• Unanimously agreed to recommend to the 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission that Jordan be reappointed for a second term as Regional Coordinator for the Near East (see para. 156).

Matters of Interest to other Committees

Codex Committee on General Principles

The Coordinating Committee:

• Agreed that there was a continuous need for a Code of Ethics within Codex. The Code was particularly important for developing countries in the Region that were net food importers and that did not have appropriate food import inspection facilities to prevent the imports of sub-standard or unsafe foods (see paras 13-14).

Other Matters

The Coordinating Committee:

• Agreed that the proposed draft Regional Code of Practice for Street-Vended foods needed further work and decided to return it to Step 2 for redrafting by an electronic Working Group for circulation, comments and further consideration at Step 4 at its next Session (see paras 44-47);
• Recommended to include in the agenda of its next Session an item on the exchange of experiences in the Region in the development and application of mutual recognition and equivalence agreements/protocols (see para. 166);
• Expressed its gratitude to FAO and WHO for carrying out activities related to the provision of scientific advice and for their extensive capacity building activities to assist the countries of the region in improving their national food control systems (see paras 15-19 and 149-155);
• Exchanged updated information on food control and food safety issues in the Near East region and on consumers participation in Codex work (see paras 71-148);
• Agreed that the countries in the Region should be encouraged to promote the use of generic HACCP models when addressing the safety of traditional popular foods and requested FAO and WHO to provide assistance in their effort (see paras 157-161);
• Agreed to discuss a paper on the promotion and use of electronic certification in the Region at its next session (see para. 162);
• Agreed to bring to the attention of the Commission the view expressed by some delegation on the development of a Codex Standard for Parmesan Cheese (see paras 163-165).