FAO Conference
7. The Representative of FAO informed the Executive Committee of the main outcome of the November 1999 FAO Conference which were of relevance to Codex. He informed in particular of the Conference’s adoption of a Strategic Framework from the Organization covering the period 2000-2015 and its endorsement of the protection against any budgetary cuts of key priority areas, including Codex, International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), the Special Programme on Food Security and the Technical Cooperation Programme. Within FAO Strategic Framework for 2000-2015, strategies for promoting, developing and reinforcing policy and regulatory frameworks for food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries include the development of international standards and other measures and assisting developing countries in implementing these standards and measures in food safety, plant protection and animal health.
8. The Representative of FAO further informed of the amendment of the General Rules of the Organization to provide for electronic voting.
9. The Executive Committee noted these developments and their impact on FAO’s contribution to Codex. It also noted with interest the changes to the General Rules of FAO regarding the electronic voting which may be used by the Commission should the need arise, but also noted the Commission’s desire to arrive at decisions by consensus.
Fifty-third World Health Assembly
10. The Representative from WHO introduced the Director-General’s report on Food Safety to World Health Assembly in May 2000 and the resolution adopted by the Assembly. The Assembly recognised that foodborne diseases were widespread and represented growing threats to health in both developing and developed countries and it emphasised the importance of a better estimation of the burden of foodborne diseases and the development of regional and/or national targets for reduction of the incidence of foodborne diseases.
11. The Representative also stated that microbiological risk assessment, provision of scientific advice on biotechnology, improvement of risk communication were considered as some of the most important areas for future activities of WHO and that improvement had already been made in terms of transparency in the operation of WHO and FAO expert committees and of the collection of data for microbiological risk assessment from developing countries. Regarding the review of the current working relationship between FAO and WHO, the Representative stated that WHO’s role in Codex was in health, so that, for example, the financial contribution by WHO to the Codex Joint Budget should be focused on health related work of the Commission. The Executive Committee was informed that the review of the current working relationship between two organizations had already been initiated.
12. The Executive Committee welcomed the decision made by the World Health Assembly and expected WHO to fully implement the decision made by the Assembly.
