37. In addition to those written reports provided by member countries, the delegation of Vanuatu noted that the Codex Contact Point had been confirmed in August 2000. He also noted that as a result of the FAO Workshop on the Administration of the National Codex Committee, preparations were underway to create a NCC to review, with relevant stakeholders, issues relating to food safety and quality including the current Food Act and to review Codex standards and make recommendations on their application within domestic regulations.
38. The delegation of New Zealand updated its written report by noting that a Joint Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code would shortly come into force and that under the Animal Products Act 1999 by the end of 2002 HACCP will be mandatory for all animal product processing businesses. In reviewing its report on this agenda item, the delegation from Canada noted that a Novel Food regulation was established and that it included a requirement for pre-market notification and safety assessment of these foods. Canada had also announced a proposal for mandatory nutrition labelling of pre-packaged foods and the adoption of a framework which established a consistent, systematic and documented approach to food safety decision making. While HACCP is mandatory in the Canadian fish sector, the Canadian meat and poultry industry has been a leader in the voluntary implementation of HACCP. The majority of federally registered meat and poultry processors have implemented HACCP or are in the process of doing so. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced its intention to mandate HACCP in the meat and poultry sector, and had initiated consultations with interested stakeholders with a forecasted implementation in January 2002.
39. The delegation of Australia noted, in addition to matters raised in its written report, that a Nutrition Labelling standard had recently been adopted which included additional requirements for the declaration of saturated fats and sugars. Australia had also recently adopted a HACCP based requirement for food safety plans, with voluntary implementation by Australia jurisdictions, as well as comprehensive requirements for labelling of foods produced by gene technology. The delegate from Papua New Guinea noted that over the last three years PNG had been undergoing major structural change that would result in the Codex Contact Point being located within the new Quarantine and Inspection Authority. This Contact Point would work with relevant Ministries covering consumer affairs, environment, health and nutrition, quarantine and food standards.
40. The delegate from Tonga referred to an FAO Workshop held in New Zealand in August 1998 that identified the need for training of officers in relevant ministries in drafting national food standards based on Codex standards. It was also noted that there was a need for consistent food standards measures between island countries within the South-west Pacific Region.
