2. Opening remarks on behalf of the Government of Mexico was presented by Mr. Raul Ramos Tercero, Undersecretary of Standards and Industry and International Commerce Services, Secretary of Commerce and Industrial Promotion. Mr. Ramos Tercero highlighted the important work done by the Committee in the area of the standardization of fresh fruits and vegetables as evidenced by the growing interest and participation of Member countries in the activities of this Committee. This would allow to define a common language to describe and standardize different fresh produce in order to facilitate the access to the markets.
3. Mr. Jose Ignacio Campillo Garcia, Undersecretary of Regulation and Sanitary Promotion, Secretary of Health, also addressed the Committee. Mr. Campillo highlighted the relation between health, food and trade and the need to have standards, which protected consumers’ health and at the same time facilitated international trade.
4. Mr. Augusto Simoes Lopes Neto, the FAO Representative in Mexico, addressed the Committee on behalf of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The speaker outlined the activities of FAO in the field of fresh fruits and vegetables. In this regard, he mentioned different activities aimed at improving the information on chemical composition of fruits and vegetables, due to their importance in food production and trade. He also stressed the technical assistance provided by FAO in the area of quality assurance and safety of fresh fruits and vegetables and the implementation of programmes for improving the nutritional state of the population. He also emphasized the international approach of Codex standards in the area of food standardization as they were recognized by the Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) of the World Trade Organization (WTO) as a reference point to solve disputes in the area of food safety. In closing his address, he referred to the activities of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables, giving a brief outline of the work done by this Committee as well as the main issues under discussion by the present session of CCFFV, and wished participants all success in their work.
