ALINORM 99/37

REPORT OF THE TWENTY-THIRD SESSION
OF THE
JOINT FAO/WHO CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION Rome, 28 June - 3 July 1999

Issued by the Secretariat of the
Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, FAO, Rome.
Ref. No. ALINORM 99/37, 1999

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations or of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

M-83
ISBN 92-5-104310-8

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SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The Commission:

expressed its satisfaction with the Programme's budget for 2000/01, while noting the financial constraints of the parent Organizations and expressed its appreciation of the generous voluntary support provided by the Host Governments for Codex Committees (paras. 15–16);
adopted Resolution 99/1 regarding the funding of the scientific advisory bodies, JECFA and JMPR and ad hoc consultations and the strengthening of the independence and the scientific integrity of these bodies (paras. 17–19);
expressed its appreciation to FAO and WHO for the technical assistance provided to developing countries in relation to Codex matters and food control generally, and strongly supported the continuation of such assistance, while recognizing the need to evaluate the impact of these programmes on a regular basis (paras. 20–24);
adopted the Medium-Term Plan 1998–2002 and agreed that the preparation of the subsequent Medium-Term Plan should be initiated rapidly (paras. 25 34 and Appendix II);
adopted the following a series of recommendations in relation to consumers' involvement in Codex work (paras. 43);
requested the Codex Committee on General Principles develop proposals that would allow for a limited number of representatives of the International Non-Governmental Organizations in Observer Status with the Codex Alimentarius Commission to be invited as observers to Sessions of the Executive Committee (paras. 44–46
adopted a series of recommendations in relation to the application of risk analysis principles in Codex work, and endorsed others (paras. 56–58);
amended the Rules of Procedure of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, subject to the confirmation of the Directors-General of FAO and WHO, (paras. 59–66 and Appendix III) specifically-
- Rule II.4 - Officers governing the appointment of Regional Coordinators
- Rule III.1 - Executive Committee to provide for the addition of a new Regional Representative (Near East)
- Rule X.2 - Elaboration of Standards to stress the need for consensus when adopting standards and related texts;
adopted a series of amendments and new texts for inclusion in the Procedural Manual (paras. 67–73 and Appendix IV), specifically -
- Criteria for the Establishment of Work Priorities and Criteria for the Establishment of Subsidiary Bodies of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
- Relations Between Commodity Committees and General Committees: Draft Amendment to the Food Hygiene Provisions
- Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products
- Definitions of Risk Analysis Terms Related to Food Safety (Risk Communication - Risk Management)
- Principles Concerning the Participation of International Non-Governmental Organizations in the Work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
- Core Functions of Codex Contact Points
decided to hold the Maximum Residue Limits for Bovine Somatotropins at Step 8 in accordance with the provisions contained in the introductory paragraphs of the Uniform Procedure for the Elaboration of Codex Standards and Related Texts (paras. 75–80);
adopted 31 new or revised Codex standards, guidelines and related texts including Guidelines on the Production, Processing, Labelling and Marketing of Organically-Produced Foods; amended 5 existing standards; approved conditions for the use in foods of 46 food additives; adopted 358 specifications for the identity and purity of food additives; adopted 374 individual maximum residue limits for agricultural and veterinary chemicals; withdrew 27 standards and 252 maximum residue limits as being either obsolete or superseded by newer recommendations (paras. 75–200 and Appendix IV);
agreed to undertake new work in the following areas (paras. 201–211):
- Foods derived from biotechnology
- Animal feeding (extension of existing draft code)
- Fruit juices (revision of existing standards);
made a clear statement to the effect that the direct use of hydrogen peroxide for the preservation of raw milk, in a manner that was inconsistent with the Codex Guidelines for the Use of the Lactoperoxidase System, was unacceptable (paras. 214–216);
- abolished the following subsidiary bodies in accordance with FAO Conference Resolution 97/13 (paras. 219–220)
  - Joint Codex/ECE Group of Experts on the Standardization of Quick Frozen Foods
  - Joint Codex/ECE Group of Experts on the Standardization of Fruit Juices
  - Codex Committee on Processed Meat and Poultry Products
- established the following new subsidiary bodies (paras. 221–230)
  - FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committee for the Near East
  - Ad hoc Intergovernmental Codex Task Force on Foods derived from Biotechnology (Host Government - Japan, duration 4 years)
  - Ad hoc Intergovernmental Codex Task Force on Animal Feeding (Host Government - Denmark, duration 4 years)
  - Ad hoc Intergovernmental Codex Task Force on Fruit Juices (Host Government - Brazil, duration 4 years)
- agreed that, subject to availability of resources, beginning with the biennium 2000/2001, future Sessions of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the Executive Committee and Regional Coordinating Committees as appropriate, would be held in Arabic, Chinese, English, French and Spanish. (paras. 232–234).

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Rome, © FAO and WHO 1999

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INTRODUCTION

ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

ELECTION OF OFFICERS OF THE COMMISSION AND APPOINTMENT OF REGIONAL COORDINATORS

Election of Officers of the Commission
Appointment of regional coordinators

REPORT BY THE CHAIRPERSON ON THE FORTY-FIFTH AND FORTY-SIXTH SESSIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

REPORT ON THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF THE JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME FOR 1998/99 AND 2000/01

Support to developing country members

CONSIDERATION OF THE DRAFT MEDIUM-TERM PLAN 1998/2002

CONSUMERS' INVOLVEMENT IN THE WORK OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

PRINCIPLES OF RISK ANALYSIS

CONSIDERATION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE PROCEDURAL MANUAL OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Proposed Amendments to the Rules of Procedure
Criteria for the Establishment of Work Priorities and Criteria for the Establishment of Subsidiary Bodies of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
Relations Between Commodity Committees and General Committees: Draft Amendment to the Food Hygiene Provisions
Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products
Definitions for the Purpose of Codex: Definitions of Risk Analysis Terms Related to Food Ssafety (Risk Communication - Risk Management)
Draft Principles Concerning the Participation of International Non-Governmental Organizations in the Work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
Core Functions of Codex Contact Points