56. The 32nd CCFAC accepted the offer of the Codex Secretariat to prepare a discussion paper for circulation, comments and consideration at its 33rd Session on the relationship between Codex Commodity Standards and the future development of the GSFA[16]. Due to time constraints, comments were not requested.
57. The Committee reaffirmed the principle that food additive provisions in all Codex Standards should be included in the GSFA and therefore, it was not so much a question of which provisions take precedence, but only that the respective provisions be consistent. To ensure consistency between food additive provisions in Codex Standards and the provisions of the GSFA, the Committee accepted the offer of the United States, assisted by Canada, India, Japan, Switzerland, Thailand, CIAA, France, Denmark, Italy, Sweden (coordinated by the EC), ELC, IDF and OIV, to prepare a “Discussion Paper on the Relationship Between Codex Commodity Standards and the Codex General Standard for Food Additives, including Consideration of the Food Category System”, for circulation, comment and further consideration at the 34th CCFAC.
58. The Committee agreed that the Discussion Paper should be based on document CX/FAC 01/6 and that it should examine the Preamble to the GSFA, the provisions of the Codex Alimentarius Procedural Manual concerning relations between Codex Committees and the Discussion Paper on the Application of Risk Analysis Principles for Food Additives and Contaminants (CL 2000/40-FAC). It was also agreed that the Drafting Group should in particular examine the Food Category System (FCS) of the GSFA to ensure a consistent interpretation of FCS food categories as related to Codex Commodity Standards (also see Agenda Item 7c).
