30 April – 4 May 2007

CODEX - Committee on Food Labelling (35th) Session, Ottawa, Canada

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The summary and conclusions of the 35th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling are as follows:

Matters for adoption by the 30th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission:

The Committee:

• agreed to advance to Step 8 the Draft Amendment to the Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods: Annex 2 – Permitted Substances: Table 3 (para. 87, Appendix II);
• agreed to advance to Step 5 the Proposed Draft Amendment to the Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods: Annex 1 (inclusion of ethylene) (para. 96, Appendix IV);
• agreed to advance to Step 5 the Proposed Draft Amendment to the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods: Quantitative Declaration of Ingredients (para. 133, Appendix V);
• agreed to advance to Step 5 the Proposed Draft Definition of Advertising in Relation to Nutrition and Health Claims (para. 140, Appendix VI);
• agreed to discontinue work on the Proposed Draft Amendment to the Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods: Annex 2 – Permitted Substances : Table 1 (Natural Sodium Nitrate) (para. 92);

Other Matters of Interest to the Commission

The Committee:

• endorsed the labelling provisions in several Draft Standards, thereby allowing their adoption by the Commission (paras. 16 and 66-81);
• agreed to return to Step 6 for further comments the Draft Amendment to the Guidelines for the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically Produced Foods: Annex 2 – Permitted Substances :Table 3 (other substances) (para. 87, Appendix III);
• agreed to retain at Step 7 the Draft Amendment to the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (Draft Recommendations for the Labelling of Foods Obtained through Certain Techniques of Genetic Modification/Genetic Engineering): Definitions and at Step 4 the Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Labelling of Food and Food Ingredients Obtained through Certain Techniques of Genetic Modification/Genetic Engineering: Labelling Provisions for further consideration at the next session taking into account the outcome of the physical working group established at the session (paras. 121- 122);
• agreed to consider further the implementation of Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health at its next session (paras. 59-64).