78. The Codex Commission at its Twenty-third session in 1999 discussed a number of issues relating to the composition of the Executive Committee and participation of observers in its work. These issues were: the possibility of participation in meetings of the Executive Committee of a limited number of representatives of INGOs as observers, the possibility of enlarging the membership of the Executive Committee to include additional Members from the different Regions along the lines of the FAO Council; and clarification of the rights of Member countries to participate as observers in sessions of the Executive Committee.[10] The paper before the Committee addressed each of these issues and also proposed that consideration be given to the participation of a limited number of developing member countries as observers as a means of improving the participation of these countries and allowing such countries to gain a wider experience in the functioning of Codex bodies.
79. Many delegations and observer organizations supported the proposals to provide for the participation of representatives of INGOs as observers in the Executive Committee along the lines proposed in the paper, namely on the basis of such participation in the World Food Summit. One observer organization expressed a contrary view. The delegations and observer organizations that favored the proposals quoted the need for transparency as the basis for such participation. Several delegations expressed concern at the fairness of allowing the participation of INGOs as observers in the Executive Committee when Member countries themselves did not have the same right.
80. Several delegations also supported the proposals to enlarge the Membership of the Executive Committee, including the designation of the Regional Coordinators as Members. However, there was a difference of opinion between delegations on the proposal to enlarge the Membership of the Executive Committee so that representation would be proportional to the membership of the regions. It was stated that each Region had its own characteristics and problems and as such Regions should be equally represented. Several delegations were also of the opinion that the experience with the role of advisors to the Members (Regional Representatives) had been positive and that they should therefore not be excluded from the meeting of the Executive Committee. It was suggested that the efforts should be made to strengthen the relationship between the Regional Representatives and the Regional Coordinators. Several delegations gave their strong support to the proposal for the participation of developing country members with financial support at meetings of the Executive Committee.
81. Some delegations and the Observer from ICGMA expressed concern that the enlargement of the Executive Committee as proposed would impinge upon its efficiency and that the Executive Committee would become, in effect, a "mini-Commission" closed to a large part of the Membership of the Commission itself. It was generally recognized that the increased importance of the Executive Committee was due to the responsibilities that it exercised on behalf of the Commission in the years in which the Commission did not meet, especially in relation to the approval and allocation of work (Step 1) and advancing draft texts at Step 5.
82. The Delegation of Malaysia with the support of many other delegations proposed that a review of the role of the Executive Committee should be undertaken with a view to its possible abolition; its functions being assumed by annual meetings of the Commission as provided for in Rule IV.1 of the Rules of Procedure. It was stated by these delegations that such a step would address all of the problems currently under consideration in relation to the composition of the Executive Committee and the transparency of its procedures.
83. The Delegation of Argentina pointed out that the aspects of the Executive Committee's work which required increased transparency should be clearly identified and that specific and practical proposals should be put forward to improve its operation, if this was necessary.
84. The Committee requested the Secretariat to provide a paper for consideration at its next Session on the role of the Executive Committee and the implications of abolishing it and replacing it with annual meetings of the Commission. It also asked that specific modalities for improving transparency, for the representative participation of INGOs and for additional participation of developing countries be developed for consideration, in case that the Executive Committee would not be abolished.
