2. Her Excellency Miss J.C. Trotter, the New Zealand Ambassador to Italy and Representative to FAO, welcomed the delegates and opened the meeting on behalf of the Government of New Zealand. She stressed the importance of inter-country cooperation and inter-sectoral collaboration in developing international standards as the basis for food trade. The Ambassador also stressed the significance that Codex standards had gained in the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the impact this recognition would have on international food trade.
3. Within the framework of the SPS Agreement, WTO member countries have the right to establish sanitary and phytosanitary measures necessary to protect human, animal and plant health. However, in order to reduce unnecessary and unjustified obstacles to trade, these measures have to be scientifically justified and based on international standards, guidelines and recommendations such as those developed by Codex. On the basis of these observations, Her Excellency stressed the necessity for Codex to work as expeditiously as possible, so that Codex standards remain relevant to current scientific knowledge and to latest developments in international food trade.
4. In responding to the opening remarks, Dr. H. de Haen, Assistant Director-General, on behalf of the Director-General of FAO, welcomed the delegations and described the fundamental principles on which the Codex Alimentarius Commission had been established in 1962 in cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO). He referred to the World Food Summit being organized by FAO for November 1996 where member countries would review their commitment to eradicating hunger and malnutrition. He pointed out that food quality and safety were important components of food security. Dr. de Haen emphasized the support of FAO for its member countries in meeting the obligations prescribed in SPS and TBT, and affirmed that FAO would continue to support the work of Codex which underpins these two agreements.
5. On behalf of the Directors-General of FAO and WHO, Dr. de Haen thanked the Government of New Zealand for its support for the Codex Alimentarius Commission and acknowledged the contribution of other international organizations and individual experts in the formulation of Codex standards.
