542. The attention of the Commission was drawn to ALINORM 79/31, Parts I to VI, which contained the reports of certain other international organizations whose work on the standardization of food and other related subjects was of interest to the Commission. The organizations which informed the Commission of their activities in this regard were:
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (ALINORM 79/31, Part I);
International Organization for Standardization - Technical
Committee 34 (ISO TC/34) Agricultural
Food Products (ALINORM 79/31, Part II);
The Council of Europe (ALINORM 79/31, Part III);
Arab Organization for Standardization and Metrology (ALINORM 79/31, Part IV);
Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (ALINORM 79/31, Part V); and
European Economic Community (ALINORM 79/31, Part VI).
543. The representative of the EEC informed the Commission that in addition to the information provided in its report, the Community had recently adopted methods for the analysis of partially and totally dehydrated milks intended for human consumption and for extracts of coffee and chicory; whenever possible Codex methods had been used.
544. The delegation of Hungary, which was the host Government for ISO/TC 34 referred to the good cooperation between that Body and the Commission. The delegation drew attention to the fruitful interagency meeting of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and Codex, held in Budapest in July 1979 (see ALINORM 79/23, paragraphs 74–77). The representative of the ISO Secretariat referred to the statement of policy formulated between ISO and the Commission, by which ISO undertook not to elaborate standards for foodstuffs intended for direct human consumption. While noting that a problem might exist in regard to certain cereals which were used both as raw materials and for direct consumption, he assured the Commission that ISO would not duplicate Codex work.
545. The delegation of Norway requested further information on the activities of the UN/ECE, in relation to the standardization of poultry meat and fresh and chilled saltwater fish and noted, that in addition to the problem of coordination of views at the national level, there still remained a problem in regard to the harmonization of the work of the UN/ ECE and the Codex Commission.
546. In reply, the representative of the UN/ECE Secretariat drew the attention of the Commission to the decision of the Working Party on Standardization of Perishable Produce to establish a small group of rapporteurs which, together with the UN/ECE and Codex Secretariats, would prepare the first draft of a protocol which would specify the relationships between the two bodies when dealing with products of this type. He indicated that the Working Party had already decided to refer all matters on food additives and methods of analysis and sampling to the Commission and that it was understood that the Working Party would not be undertaking work which would in any way overlap in the areas of food hygiene, labelling or pesticide residues, these being recognized as being areas in which the Commission had competence. He emphasized that all Member Nations of the United Nations had the opportunity to participate in the work of the UN/ECE, either directly as UN/ECE Member Nations, or as observers under Article II of the UN/ECE's Terms of Reference. Similarly, all UN/ECE documentation was available to Member Nations through their permanent representatives or missions in Geneva. Finally, he spoke of the close working relationships between the UN/ECE and the Codex Secretariats by which the respective bodies were always kept informed of each others' activities.
547. In welcoming the closer coordination between the UN/ECE, ISO and itself, the Commission agreed with a statement made by the delegation of Australia pointing out that the Commission was the sole body within the United Nations system charged with the task of promoting coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and that greater efforts were required if other organizations were to achieve harmonization with the work of the Commission.
548. The Commission decided not to add to its work programme at this time.
549. The Commission had before it document ALINORM 79/32 containing a provisional timetable of Codex meetings for the 1980/81 biennium. As had been indicated to the Commission during the discussions on the budget of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme for 1980/81, the Codex Secretariat had proposed, for consideration by the Commission, a reduced number of Codex meetings in 1980/81 (see paragraph 25 of this Report).
550. The delegation of Uruguay proposed that the date suggested for the next Session of the Coordinating Committee for Latin America be advanced to, say, September 1980. The delegation of Mexico agreed with this proposal and suggested, in addition, that if it were not possible to hold the Session of the Coordinating Committee in 1980 consideration should be given to timing the meeting in conjunction with a meeting of COPANT to be held in Paraguay in May 1981.
551. The delegation of The Netherlands reiterated the importance which the Commission attached to annual meetings of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues and the Codex Committee on Food Additives. The delegation of The Netherlands noted that no provision had been made for meetings of these two Committees in 1981. The delegation considered that provision should be made for a meeting of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues in 1981 before the Fourteenth Session of the Commission. In the case of the Codex Committee on Food Additives, the delegation of The Netherlands stated that the meeting could be held in November/December 1981 or possibly at the beginning of 1982. The delegations of the United Kingdom and the United States of America supported the statement of the delegation of The Netherlands.
552. The delegation of India stated that, subject to confirmation by the authorities in India, it expected that it would be possible to hold the next Session of the Coordinating Committee for Asia in India during 1981, probably not later than March of that year. The delegation of Senegal indicated that it expected that the next Session of the Coordinating Committee for Africa would be held in Dakar, probably in April 1981. The delegation added that if the Codex Secretariat thought it necessary to advance the date of the meeting, it might be possible to arrange to hold it in January 1981, as proposed in document ALINORM 79/32. The delegation of Kenya stressed the importance of good and timely preparation for sessions of the Coordinating Committees, including good technical inputs.
553. The delegation of Austria proposed that the next Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission should be held in Innsbruck, Austria, instead of Geneva, especially taking into account the favourable financial conditions. The delegation of Norway noted that whilst there was provision for a meeting of the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products in 1980, no provision had been made for a meeting of this Committee in 1981. The delegation recalled that the Chairman of the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products had indicated previously, during the present Session of the Commission, that a meeting of the Committee should be held in 1981 and stated that the matter should be discussed between the Codex Secretariat and the Norwegian authorities.
554. The delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany stated that if work was to be undertaken on the development of a Code of Ethics for the Marketing and Advertizing of Infant Foods in the Codex Committee on Foods for Special Dietary Uses, then a meeting of that Committee should be provided for in 1981. The delegation of the United States of America indicated that it thought it important to hold the Second Session of the Codex Comittee on Cereals and Cereal Products in 1981, in order to be able to report good progress in this area of work to the Fourteenth Session of the Commission.
555. The delegation of Canada stated that it saw no real need for a meeting of the Codex Committee on Soups and Broths for the purpose of discussing the question of standards for hydrolyzed protein (see also paragraphs 506–508 of this Report). The delegation United States of America proposed that the date of the Thirteenth Session of the Joint ECE/ Codex Alimentarius Group of Experts on Standardization of Quick Frozen Foods, listed to be held in Rome from 20 to 24 October 1980, be advanced to 15–19 September 1980, as otherwise it would clash with another meeting in this field and this might detract from attendance at the ECE/Codex meeting.
556. The Chief of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme indicated that the proposals amounted to adding another five meetings to the 1981 list of meetings. He recalled the discussions concerning staffing difficulties in the Codex Secretariat and its ability to service satisfactorily Codex Sessions, as well as cope with a steadily growing workload. He pointed out that while the Commission had previously agreed that certain General Subject Committees, such as the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues and the Codex Committee on Food Additives should meet annually, it had also agreed that Codex Commodity Committees should meet once between Sessions of the Commission.
557. The Chief of the Programme referred also to the general policy of the governing bodies of FAO that the number of meetings should be reduced. Also, in order to ensure the despatch of documentation in good time before Sessions of the Commission in the languages of the Commission, it was necessary to leave a period of around five months between the last Session of a Codex Committee and the subsequent Session of the Commission. This was necessary to allow time for translation, printing and despatch of the documents.
558. The Chief of the Programme indicated that the request for additional meetings in 1981 would be placed on a supplementary list and discussed within FAO and WHO and with the Host Governments concerned. A report on the matter would be placed before the next Session of the Executive Committee.
559. The Commission had before it the text of a Resolution on the subject of alternative methods for the preparation of international standards which had been adopted at the abovementioned Conference. The Resolution had recommended, amongst other things, that international organizations, as for example, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, consider the adoption of “Accelerated Procedures for Preparing International Standards”, The text of the “Proposed Experimental Accelerated Procedures for the Adoption of Standards as International Standards” was also before the Commission. The text was a reproduction of an ISO document entitled “Annex to ISO/Council 1979 - 19.3/1”
560. The Commission requested the Codex Secretariat to look into the text of the document mentioned above for any thoughts or suggestions which might be useful in connection with the Commission's decision to consider how best to accelerate its own procedures for the development of Codex Standards.
561. The Codex Alimentarius Commission expressed its appreciation to the retiring Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Dr. E. Matthey (Switzerland), for his leadership and guidance as Chairman and his long and active support of the Commission as a delegate over the years. The Commission gave Prof. Dr. Matthey a standing ovation.
562. The Commission also wished to place on record its appreciation of the excellent work and contribution to the implementation of the aims of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme of Dr. D.G. Chapman (WHO) and Dr. L. Reinius (WHO), who would shortly be retiring. The Commission wished them many happy years of retirement.
