ALINORM 04/27/33A




JOINT FAO/WHO FOOD STANDARDS PROGRAMME
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Twenty-seventh Session
Rome, 28 June - 3 July 2004

REPORT OF THE TWENTIETH SESSION OF THE
CODEX COMMITTEE ON GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Paris, France, 3 – 7 May 2004

Note: This document incorporates Circular Letter CL 2004/18-GP

codex alimentarius commission
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE WORLD HEALTH
ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION
OF THE UNITED NATIONS
JOINT OFFICE: Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 ROME Tel.:57051 www.codexalimentarius.net Email:[email protected] Facsimile: 3906.5705.4593

CX 4/10 CL 2004/18-GP
May 2004
TO: - Codex Contact Points
- Interested International Organizations

FROM: - Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, c/-FAO, 00100 Rome, Italy

SUBJECT: Distribution of the Report of the 20th Session of the Codex Committee
on General Principles (ALINORM 04/27/33A)

A. MATTERS FOR ADOPTION BY THE 27TH SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION

Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Manual

1. General Criteria for the Selection of Single-Laboratory Validated Methods (to be included after the General Criteria) and Amendments to the Analytical Terminology for Codex Use (paras. 12-14, Appendix II)
2. Proposed Definitions of Risk Analysis Terms Related to Food Safety (para. 20, Appendix II)
3. Proposed Amendments to Part 2. Critical Review of the Proposed Amendment to the Procedures for the Elaboration of Codex Standards and Related texts in ALINORM 04/27/33A (para. 30, Appendix II)
4. Proposed Amendments to the Rule VIII.5 – Observers of the Rules of Procedure (para. 36, Appendix III)
5. Proposed Definition of Traceability/Product Tracing (para. 96, Appendix IV)
Governments and international organizations wishing to submit comments on the above amendment should do so in writing to the Secretary, Codex Alimentarius Commission, Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, c/-FAO, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00100 Rome, Italy before 15 June 2004.
B. REQUEST FOR COMMENTS AND INFORMATION
6. Proposed Draft Revised Code of Ethics for International Trade in Foods (paras. 77-78, Appendix V).
The Circular Letter asking for comments at Step 3 will be sent after the 27th Session of the Commission in the light of the advice provided by the Commission, as agreed by the Committee.

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

The summary and conclusions of the 20th Session of the Codex Committee on General Principles are as follows:

    Matters for adoption by the Commission:
    The Committee
    - endorsed the following amendments to the Procedural Manual (Appendix II): General Criteria for the Selection of Single-Laboratory Validated Methods and amendments to the Analytical Terminology for Codex Use (paras. 12-14); additional Definitions of Risk Analysis Terms Related to Food Safety (para. 20); and the amendment to the Procedures for the Elaboration of Codex Standards and Related text (para. 30);
    - agreed to forward to the Commission a Proposed Amendment to Rule VIII. Observers of the Rules of Procedure (para. 36, Appendix III);
    - agreed to propose a definition of traceability/product tracing for inclusion in the Definitions in the Procedural Manual (para. 31, Appendix IV);
    - agreed to initiate new work on the revision of the definition of “food” in the Procedural Manual (para. 82 );
    - agreed to send a Circular Letter, with the concurrence of the Commission, to governments concerning the respective roles of the Member of the Executive Committee elected on a geographical basis and of the Coordinator, for consideration by Regional Committees and subsequently by the 28th Session of the Commission (paras. 118-121).
    Other matters of interest to the Commission:
    The Committee
    - agreed to return the Proposed Draft Working Principles for Risk Analysis for Food Safety to Step 3 for further comments (para. 42);
    - agreed to return the Proposed Draft Revised Code of Ethics for International Trade in Foods to Step 3 for further comments, subject to the advice of the Commission (paras. 77-78, Appendix V);
    - agreed to consider a redrafted version of the Guidelines for Cooperation between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and International Intergovernmental Organizations in the elaboration of Codex standards and related texts at its next (extraordinary) session (para. 109);
    - agreed to consider revised Principles concerning the Participation of International Non-Governmental Organizations in the Work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission at its next (extraordinary) session (para. 120);
    - agreed that its next (extraordinary) session would consider the following new items: the clarification of the duration of the term of the Members of the Executive Committee (para. 127); the relevance of the acceptance and notification procedures (para. 132); and the interpretation of the term “delegate” for the purpose of Rule VI.1 of the Rules of Procedure (para. 138).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Opening of the Session 1- 2

Adoption of the Agenda 3

Matters referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission
and other Codex Committees 4-30

Proposed Amendment to Rule VIII.5 - Observers of the Rules of Procedure 31-36

Proposed Draft Working Principles for Risk Analysis for Food Safety 37-43

Proposed Draft Revised Code of Ethics for International Trade in Foods 44-84

Consideration of Traceability/Product Tracing 85-96

Guidelines for Cooperation with International Intergovernmental Organizations 97-109

Review of the Principles Concerning the Participation of Intergovernmental
Non-governmental Organizations in the Work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission 109-120

Other Business, Future Work and Date and Place of the Next Session 121-147

LIST OF APPENDICES
Pages

Appendix I

    List of Participants

 18

Appendix II

    Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Manual

37

Appendix III

    Proposed Amendment to the Rules of Procedure: Rule VIII.5. Observers

39

Appendix IV

    Proposed Definition of Traceability/Product Tracing

40

Appendix V

    Proposed Draft Revised Code of Ethics for International Trade in Foods

41

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