FAO serves its 184 member countries on a wide range of matters related to nutrition, food and agriculture. Given the differences between countries globally, it is no surprise that the interests of FAO member countries do not always converge. In executing its mandate and implementing its programmes, FAO must consider all interests and choose the most appropriate action. It is precisely the plurality of views existing among its Members that enriches the Organization's work. FAO provides a neutral forum in which diverse interests can be voiced for the purpose of arriving at strong and just positions that are widely supported by the international community.
Food safety and its regulation are of major international concern. Highly publicized food safety problems have given rise to a general state of distrust among consumers, the food industry and the public institutions established to safeguard the food supply. Consumer activism has been driven largely by developed countries, but it would be incorrect to assume that citizens of the developing world are unconcerned about possible hazards in their foods. Often data on the level of contamination of foods are absent, and in many cases consumer organizations are inactive. There is a lacuna of information - at the national and international levels - in developing countries on consumers' and citizens' concerns about food safety.
With the globalization of the market and the binding provisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements pertaining to the quality and safety of food in international trade, governments of developing countries are increasingly concerned about international food safety standards and regulations that create barriers for the entry of their foods into international markets. At the same time, consumers and regulatory agencies in developed countries are worried that poor capacity in developing countries is reducing the level of protection provided by international standards. They all look to FAO and other concerned international organizations for guidance.
The Joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission plays a crucial role in building international consensus on food standardization issues. True consensus, however, depends on the effective participation of all parties. But many developing countries lack the highly specialized experience and expertise in various aspects of food safety science to influence the international food standardization process to the same extent as most developed countries do.
Risk analysis has gained widespread international support as the framework within which decisions related to food safety should be made. Such analysis responds to the international call for food safety measures to be based on scientific evidence and for transparency - principles echoed in the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS). The Commission has been consistently and progressively adopting the risk analysis framework throughout the Codex process and has reconfirmed the fundamental role of science in its standardization work. However, the fundamental role of science in food safety decisions does not preclude the need to consider ethics. There are value judgements involved throughout the risk analysis process that should be clarified if we are to ensure transparency and engender public confidence in food safety policy. Failure to address this issue satisfactorily will undermine efforts at facilitating international consensus on matters related to food safety governance.
A clearer understanding of the roles of science and ethics in food safety decision-making is relevant to all parties involved in shaping food safety policies at the national and international levels. If FAO and WHO are to carry out their mandates in the area of food safety effectively, they must maintain their trustworthiness and neutrality in the eyes of all their member countries. In recognition of this, FAO, in collaboration with WHO, decided to organize the Expert Consultation on Food Safety: Science and Ethics as part of their ongoing effort to address ethical issues in food safety adequately.
