Purpose
To reflect and promote reflection upon ethical issues arising out of food production and consumption as well as agriculture development, including forestry and fisheries, in the context of food security and sustainable rural development against an environment of rapid global change, and advise the Director-General on the possible role and policies of FAO.
Terms of Reference
1. The Panel of Eminent Experts shall reflect and promote reflection upon ethical issues arising out of food production and consumption as well as agriculture development, including forestry and fisheries, in the context of food security and sustainable rural development against an environment of rapid global change.
2. The Panel shall in particular consider ethical issues relating to the interests of present and future generations regarding the sustainable use of natural resources, the safeguarding of biodiversity and the balanced mix of traditional and modern technologies to increase food security and sustainable agriculture.
3. Based on the above considerations the Panel shall:
4. The Panel may consider any other issue related to the above.
5. In its consideration of the above, the Panel shall advise the Director-General on the possible role and policies of FAO.
Working Languages
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Spanish.
Current Status
The Panel was established as of 1 January 2000 for an initial period of four years. It held its first Session on 26-28 September 2000, and prepared a report dealing with basic ethical concerns, the identification of ethical issues in food and agriculture, and biotechnology, including genetically- modified organisms. Its Second Session was convened from 18 to 20 March 2002.
Purpose
Conference Resolution 5/97 requested the Director-General to establish this Panel to replace two Panels of Experts on Ecological, Technical and Development Aspects of the Programme for the Control of African Animal Trypanosomiasis and Related Development, which were abolished by that Resolution. The Terms of Reference are:
Membership
The Panel consists of 19 experts from Member Nations of the Organization. All experts are appointed by the Assistant Director General, Agriculture Department.
Working Language
English.
Achievement 2000-01
The Sixth Session of the Panel of PAAT Advisory Group Coordinators (PAG), held in September 2000, recommended to reinforce efforts in the development of Action Plans. In this regard, inputs from various PAAT partners require to be coordinated and harmonised. The Panel advised PAAT and associated partners to concentrate, as a priority, on the development of strategic plans for area-wide tsetse and trypanosomiasis control in selected, well-demarcated priority areas, such as the Cotton-belt in West Africa (Mali and Burkina Faso) and the River Basins in Ethiopia. These recommendations were considered and approved by the PAAT Committee in November 2000.
Noting the creation of the Pan African Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC) by the African Heads of State and Government in July 2000 and the endorsement of its Plan of Action in July 2001 by the same body, the Panel, at its Seventh Session held in September 2001, advised to progress towards PAAT-PATTEC harmonisation, and to identify and clarify the respective responsibilities, based on the principle of comparative advantages. It was recommended that PAAT should provide support to and assist PATTEC. The Panel recommended that strategic planning of area-wide tsetse and trypanosomiasis control, similar to that developed for West Africa, should be developed for East and Southern Africa. Considering that the strategic planning exercises were in progress and given that the process of PAAT-PATTEC harmonisation was to be concluded, no further PAAT Committee meeting was held in 2001.
Purpose
To help plan and coordinate FAO's efforts to explore, utilize and conserve the gene resources of forest trees and, in particular, help prepare detailed short- and long-term programmes of action (including lists of priority species by region and by activity), and to provide information to Member Governments.
Working Languages
English, French, Spanish.
Achievement 2000-01
At the Twelfth Session of the Panel, held 21- 23 November 2001 in Rome, the Panel took note of the debate which had taken place in other international for a, notably the recent approval by the Thirty-first Session of the FAO Conference of the International Treaty on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and the deliberations of the Seventh Session of the SBSTTA of the Convention on Biological Diversity, in which forest biological diversity had been among the main issues on the agenda. The Panel Members reported on the forest genetic resources activities in the various regions covered by each of them, and reviewed global developments and the work of FAO in the past biennium.
The Panel passed a number of specific recommendations stressing the need for continued and increased attention to:
The Panel stressed the need to continue to raise awareness of the social, economic and environmental benefits of conservation and wise utilization of forest genetic resources, and of their direct and indirect contributions to national and rural development. It stressed the need to further emphasize the compatibility of conservation and genetic management with the managed utilization of forest resources to meet present-day, as well as future, needs.
Purpose
To advise the Director-General on all aspects regarding pesticide residues in food and the environment. The panel was originally established in 1963 as a Working Party of Experts on Pesticide Residues.
Membership
The FAO Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues in Food and the Environment is made up of five Panel Members, the WHO Toxicological Core Assessment Group on Pesticide Residues consists of five members and the Panels are assisted by about 13 Temporary Advisors and Consultants.
Working Language
English.
Pattern of Sessions
Every third week of September held alternately each year at FAO Headquarters in Rome and WHO Headquarters in Geneva.
Achievement 2000-01
During the Twenty-fifth and Twenty-sixth Sessions of the Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues in Food and the Environment, a total of 46 pesticides were reviewed and the residues resulting from their use, under specified conditions, were evaluated and re-evaluated. New or revised Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) were agreed and recommended, based on use patterns and in response to the periodic review programme of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR). Overall, a total of 376 new MRLs and Extraneous Residue Level (ERLs) were estimated, while 96 were recommended for withdrawal. The Panel also revised the FAO Manual on the Submission and Evaluation of Pesticide Residues data for the Estimation of Maximum Residues Levels in Food and Feed, FAO Rome 2002.
Origin
The Panel was originally established in 1963 as a Working Party of Experts on the Official Control of Pesticides. In April 1975, a Panel of Experts on Pesticide Specifications Registration Requirements and Application Standards was formed by the Ad Hoc Government Consultation on Pesticides in Agriculture and Public Health.
Purpose
To advise the Director-General on all aspects regarding the management of pesticides arising from the "Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides" with the objective to support agricultural development while at the same time reducing the risk associated with their use. Since its inception in 1985 the Code of Conduct has been amended once in 1989 to include the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure, which is now covered by the Rotterdam Convention. In addition to the development of standards for pesticide management, the major functions of this Panel are to review and update the Code of Conduct and to support the production of pesticide management guidelines for the implementation of the provisions of the Code.
Membership
The Panel consists of 23 experts from Member Nations of the Organization. All experts are appointed by the Director-General.
Working Language
English.
Achievement 2000-01
Four sessions of this Panel were held during 2000-2001. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between WHO and FAO to develop pesticide specifications together leading to Joint FAO/WHO Meetings on Pesticide Specifications (JMPS) in the future. Eleven additional specifications were developed under the 'new' procedure, which was introduced in 1999. The last eight specifications were finalized under the 'old' procedure. This 'old' procedure was phased out by the end of 2001. Specifications have now been developed for 235 different pesticides. The process of updating the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides continued with consultations and inputs from Governments and other stakeholders. The result, the draft Revised Code of Conduct, was presented to the Thirty-first Session of the Conference in November 2001. The draft was found acceptable with the exception of one paragraph, to be addressed in 2002.
As of December 2001 the Rotterdam Convention has been ratified by 18 participating states.
CC | ||
CC-701 |
Conference |
C |
CC-702 |
Council |
CL |
CC-703 |
Programme Committee |
PC |
CC-704 |
Finance Committee |
FC |
CC-705 |
Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters |
CCLM |
COAG | ||
COAG-701 |
Committee on Agriculture |
COAG |
AGA | ||
AGA-701 |
European Commission for the Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease |
EUFMD |
AGA-705 |
Research Group of the Standing Technical Committee |
EUFMD |
AGA-709 |
Panel of PAAT Advisory Group Coordinators |
|
AGD | ||
AGD-702 |
Panel of Eminent Experts on Ethics in Food and Agriculture |
|
AGD-725 |
Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture |
AGP:PGR |
AGP | ||
AGP-701 |
Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in Southwest Asia |
DL/SWA |
AGP-704 |
Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in the Central Region |
DL/NE |
AGP-706 |
Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in Northwest Africa |
DL/NWA |
AGP-713 |
FAO Desert Locust Control Committee |
DLCC |
AGP-716 |
Joint Meeting of the FAO Panel of Experts on Pesticide Residues in Food and the Environment and the WHO Toxicological Core Assessment Group on Pesticide Residues |
JMPR |
AGP-717 |
Panel of Experts on Pesticide Specifications, Registration Requirements, Application Standards, and Prior Informed Consent (PIC) |
PIC |
AGP-723 |
International Rice Commission |
IRC |
AGP-727 |
DLCC Desert Locust Technical Group |
DLCC |
AGP-728 |
Standards Committee |
CEPM |
AGP-729 |
Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures |
ComPM |
CX | ||
CX-701 |
FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission |
ALINORM |
CX-702 |
Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission |
ALINORM |
CX-703 |
Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products |
ALINORM |
CX-706 |
Codex Coordinating Committee for Europe |
ALINORM |
CX-707 |
Codex Coordinating Committee for Africa |
ALINORM |
CX-708 |
Codex Committee on Cocoa Products and Chocolate |
ALINORM |
CX-709 |
Codex Committee on Fats and Oils |
ALINORM |
CX-710 |
Codex Committee on Sugars |
ALINORM |
CX-711 |
Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants |
ALINORM |
CX-712 |
Codex Committee on Food Hygiene |
ALINORM |
CX-713 |
Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables |
ALINORM |
CX-714 |
Codex Committee on Food Labelling |
ALINORM |
CX-715 |
Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling |
ALINORM |
CX-716 |
Codex Committee on General Principles |
ALINORM |
CX-718 |
Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues |
ALINORM |
CX-719 |
Codex Committee on Natural Mineral Waters |
ALINORM |
CX-720 |
Codex Committee for Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses |
ALINORM |
CX-722 |
Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products |
ALINORM |
CX-723 |
Codex Committee on Meat Hygiene |
ALINORM |
CX-725 |
Codex Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean |
ALINORM |
CX-726 |
Codex Committee on Soups and Broths |
ALINORM |
CX-727 |
Codex Coordinating Committee for Asia |
ALINORM |
CX-728 |
Codex Committee on Vegetable Proteins |
ALINORM |
CX-729 |
Codex Committee on Cereals, Pulses and Legumes |
ALINORM |
CX-730 |
Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods |
ALINORM |
CX-731 |
Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables |
ALINORM |
CX-732 |
Codex Coordinating Committee for North America and the Southwest Pacific |
ALINORM |
CX-733 |
Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems |
ALINORM |
CX-734 |
FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Near East |
ALINORM |
CX-801 |
Ad Hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Fruit and Vegetable Juices |
ALINORM |
CX-802 |
Ad Hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology |
ALINORM |
CX-803 |
Ad Hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Animal Feeding |
ALINORM |
ESA | ||
ESA-728 |
Committee on World Food Security |
CFS |
ESC | ||
ESC-701 |
Committee on Commodity Problems |
CCP |
ESC-702 |
Consultative Sub-Committee on Surplus Disposal |
CCP:SD |
ESC-703 |
Intergovernmental Group on Rice |
CCP:RI |
ESC-706 |
Intergovernmental Group on Meat - Sub-Group on Hides and Skins |
CCP:ME |
ESC-709 |
Intergovernmental Group on Grains |
CCP:GR |
ESC-710 |
Intergovernmental Group on Citrus Fruit |
CCP:CI |
ESC-712 |
Intergovernmental Group on Jute, Kenaf and Allied Fibres |
CCP:JU |
ESC-714 |
Intergovernmental Group on Oilseeds, Oils and Fats |
CCP:OF |
ESC 716 |
Intergovernmental Group on Bananas and on Tropical Fruits |
CCP:BA/TF |
ESC-720 |
Intergovernmental Group on Hard Fibres |
CCP:HF |
ESC-722 |
Intergovernmental Group on Tea |
CCP:TE |
ESC-727 |
Intergovernmental Group on Meat |
CCP:ME |
ESC-731 |
Intergovernmental Group on Hard Fibres - Sub-Group of Sisal and Henequen Producing Countries |
CCP:HF |
ESN | ||
ESN-704 |
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Nutrition |
FAO/WHO/NU |
ESN-705 |
Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives |
FAO/WHO/ FA |
ESS | ||
ESS-704 |
FAO/ECE(UN)/CES Study Group on Food and Agricultural Statistics in Europe |
FAO/ECE/ CES/AGS |
ESS-705 |
FAO/OEA-CIE/IICA Working Group on Agricultural and Livestock Statistics for Latin America and the Caribbean |
FAO/OEA-CIE/IICA |
FI | ||
FI-701 |
Committee on Fisheries |
COFI |
FI-704 |
Asia-Pacific Fishery Commission |
APFIC |
FI-709 |
COFI Sub-Committee on Fish Trade |
COFI:FT |
FI-710 |
APFICCommittee on Aquaculture and Inland Fisheries |
APFIC |
FI-712 |
Sub-Committee for Lake Tanganyika |
CIFA |
FI-713 |
Advisory Committee on Fisheries Research |
ACFR |
FI-716 |
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean |
GFCM |
FI-719 |
Committee on Aquaculture |
GFCM |
FI-720 |
Scientific Advisory Committee |
GFCM |
FI-727 |
European Inland Fisheries Advisory Commission |
EIFAC |
FI-733 |
Indian Ocean Tuna Commission |
IOTC |
FI-734 a |
Permanent Scientific Committee |
IOTC |
FI-739 |
Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission |
WECAFC |
FI-740 |
Fishery Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic |
CEFAC |
FI-745 |
Committee for Inland Fisheries of Africa |
CIFA |
FI-751 |
Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics |
CWP |
FI-758 |
Commission for Inland Fisheries of Latin America |
COPESCAL |
FI-766 |
Committee for the Development and Management of Fisheries in the Lesser Antilles |
WECAFC |
FI-779 |
APFIC Committee on Marine Fisheries |
APFIC |
FI-787 |
Sub-Committee for the Protection and Development of the Fisheries in the Sahelian Zone |
CIFA |
FO | ||
FO-701 |
Committee on Forestry |
COFO |
FO-702 |
International Poplar Commission |
CIP |
FO-704 |
Working Party on Logging and Utilization of Poplar Wood |
CIP |
FO-705 |
Working Party on Poplar Diseases |
CIP |
FO-706 |
Working Party on Poplar Insect Pests |
CIP |
FO-707 |
African Forestry and Wildlife Commission |
AFWC |
FO-709 |
Working Party on the Management of Wildlife and Protected Areas |
AFWC |
FO-710 |
Asia-Pacific Forestry Commission |
APFC |
FO-713 |
Latin American and the Caribbean Forestry Commission |
LACFC |
FO-718 |
Near East Forestry Commission |
NEFC |
FO-720 |
North American Forest Commission |
NAFC |
FO-724 |
Working Party on Breeding and Selection of Poplars and Willows |
CIP |
FO-725 |
Working Party on Production Systems for Poplars and Willows |
CIP |
FO-726 |
European Forestry Commission |
EFC |
FO-728 |
Working Party on the Management of Mountain Watersheds |
EFC |
FO-729 |
Joint FAO/ECE/ILO Committee on Forest Technology, Management and Training |
EFC |
FO-730 |
FAO/ECE Working Party on Forest Economics and Statistics |
EFC |
FO-731 |
AFWC/EFC/NEFC Committee on Mediterranean Forestry Questions - "Silva Mediterranea" |
SCM |
FO-734 |
Advisory Committee on Paper and Wood Products |
ACPWP |
FO-736 |
Panel of Experts on Forest Gene Resources |
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RAFR | ||
RAFR-701 |
African Commission on Agricultural Statistics |
AFCAS |
RAFR-710 |
Scientific Sub-Committee |
CECAF |
RAP | ||
RAP-702 |
Regional Animal Production and Health Commission for Asia and the Pacific |
APHCA |
RAP-703 |
Asia and Pacific Commission on Agricultural Statistics |
APCAS |
RAP-704 |
Asia and Pacific Plant Protection Commission |
PPC/AP |
REU | ||
REU-701 |
European Commission on Agriculture |
ECA |
REU-704 |
ECA Working Party on Women and the Family in Rural Development |
ECA:WPW |
RLAC | ||
RLAC-701 |
Caribbean Plant Protection Commission |
PPC/C |
RLC-703 |
Commission on Livestock Development for Latin America and the Caribbean |
LDAC |
RNE | ||
RNE-708 |
Agriculture, Land and Water Use Commission for the Near East |
ALAWUC/ |
RNE-739 |
Regional Commission for Fisheries |
RECOFI |
SLAC | ||
SLAC-749 |
Scientific Advisory Group |
WECAFC |