OTHER BUSINESS AND FUTURE WORK (Agenda Item 8)

DISCUSSION PAPER ON RISK MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FOR FOOD CONTROL EMERGENCY SITUATIONS INVOLVING INTERNATIONAL TRADE[21]

70. A discussion paper on this topic was presented by Australia as a result of discussions and the request of the 23^rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.[22] Although the Committee agreed that the topic was of general interest, it suggested that the Codex Guidelines for the Exchange of Information in Food Control Emergency Situations (CAC/GL 19-1995), as well as related Codex texts, should be examined to determine whether or not the development of guidelines would be necessary. The difficulty in obtaining information to facilitate the decision-making process in food control emergency situations was also noted, as was the difficulty in developing generic guidance for each type of unique situation.

71. The representative of WHO informed the Committee of the proposed revision of the International Health Regulations (IHR) of WHO, which addresses risk management of urgent international public health events, and offered to provide the Committee with relevant information at its next meeting.

72. The Committee accepted the offer of Australia to prepare a discussion paper for consideration at its next meeting which would address the adequacy of relevant Codex texts and would outline the issues involved in regard to food control emergency situations.

ROLE OF SCIENCE AND OTHER FACTORS IN RELATION TO RISK ANALYSIS

73. The Committee noted that the 14^th Session of the Codex Committee on General Principles had requested the relevant Codex committees to identify and clarify the relevant factors taken into account in their work, in the framework of risk analysis, in order to facilitate its general debate on "other legitimate factors" relevant for the health protection of consumers and for the promotion of fair practices in trade.[23] The forthcoming 15^th Session of the CCGP (Paris, France, 10-14 April 2000) would be conducting a Review of the Statements of Principle on the Role of Science and the Extent to which Other Factors are Taken into Account: Role of Science and other Factors in Relation to Risk Analysis.[24]

74. The Committee took note of the request of the CCGP, but did not have time to discuss or debate the issue in detail. It noted that the representative of the European Commission was of the opinion that the following "other legitimate factors" had been considered by the CCFICS:

• economic aspects of controls;
  
• practical aspects of measures;
  
• ability to introduce measures/capacity of measures;
  
• availability of expertise;
  
• feasibility of sampling;
  
• consumer information and confidence;
  
• availability of resources;
  
• preservation of confidentiality;
  
• good manufacturing practice/good agricultural practice; and,
  
• religious considerations.

Switzerland also added the following points:

• social/cultural factors; and,
  
• consumer information.

OTHER ISSUES

75. The Committee agreed that, at its next meeting, Morocco would submit for consideration by the Committee a document on the need for guidance on food export control systems.