23) The Representative of FAO introduced paper CX/LAC 98/5 which summarized the activities related to the economic integration and harmonization of food legislation in the Region and invited the Committee to present additional information on this issue.
24) The Delegation of Brazil presented the activities carried out as a follow-up of Project TCP/BRA/4555 with the objective of strengthening the National Codex Committee of Brazil and disseminating information on Codex throughout the country. The Delegation expressed its satisfaction for the success of the project, which was being repeated in several countries of the Region. The Delegation pointed out that many of the experts who participated in the project have acted as trainers in several institutions and have cooperated with FAO and WHO as advisors in trainers as recently in Bolivia, Paraguay and Jamaica. The Delegation also reported on the questions under discussion in the Food Commission of the SubGroup 3 Technical Regulations of MERCOSUR, as follows:
25) The Delegation of Costa Rica proposed to organize a regional meeting for Codex Contact Points in view of the new status of Codex in the framework of the WTO Agreements on TBT and SPS Measures (see paras. 91-94). The Delegation pointed out that there was a lack of management concept as regards the functions of the contact points, which prevented their efficient operation as many CCPs in the Region were new.
26) The Delegation of Chile informed the Committee that the Meeting on Food Quality and Safety: Impact on Trade in Latin America and the Countries of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), which was scheduled to be held in Santiago in 1999, was postponed for the year 2000 due to the economical crisis of the Asia-Pacific Region. In this regard, the Delegation of Uruguay requested information on the availability of two documents: Harmonization of Food Legislation in the Countries of Latin America and APEC and Problems of Food Quality and Safety that affect Trade with and between the Countries of Latin America and APEC to be presented in that meeting, as they were of great interest to the countries of the Region.
27) The Delegation of Bolivia informed the Committee that Codex was one of the strongest activities in the area of food control, although there was still insufficient awareness on the part of authorities about the importance of Codex in the new context of WTO. The Delegation reported that they were starting to implement HACCP and epidemiological surveillance of foodborne diseases but they had serious problems for the control and certification of import and export products. The Delegation also indicated that they would continue to work in line with the Codex guidelines especially with regard to hazard analysis and food legislation. In this regard, a draft food act was sent to the Parliament and it was expected to enter into force soon.
28) The Committee was informed that Uruguay had established its National Codex Committee and that they were in process of obtaining support from FAO to strengthen its National Codex Committee. The Delegation referred to the Regional Workshop on the Establishment and Administration of National Codex Committees for the English-speaking Countries of the Caribbean (Kingston, Jamaica, November 1998) and asked for clarification concerning the development of guidelines for the establishment and administration of CCPs and NCCs. It recalled that the last Session of CCLAC had discouraged the elaboration of such guidelines since the situation differed significantly from one country to another in the Region (see also para. 98).
29) The Committee took note of the information provided by the delegations and agreed to consider questions relating to Codex Contact Points under Agenda Item 12.
