Food standards help ensure that food produced, traded, and consumed is safe, and meets the quality parameters expected by the consumer.  Several countries in the Europe and Central Asia region use Codex standards and texts as the basis for strengthening their legal framework for food safety including development of food laws, regulations, and other measures. 

Countries from the region met at the two-day event on “Advancing food standards and Codex participation in Europe and Central Asia” and discussed food standards, progress on food control systems, and challenges and participation in the Codex Alimentarius Commission from a regional perspective. The role of food safety within the concept of One Health was also addressed. The event also marked the fifth anniversary of the host Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency and the sixtieth anniversary of Codex.

Representatives of 23 countries, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), the World Trade Organization, UNICEF, European Commission, World Bank, and the heads of relevant executive authorities of the Republic of Azerbaijan attended the hybrid event. 

The Chairperson of the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency, Goshgar Tahmezli, noted in his opening speech that the Agency, established with the aim to improve food safety in the country by implementing state regulation and food control, is actively cooperating with FAO, including in the establishment of a well-functioning National Codex Committee. The Minister of Health of Azerbaijan, Teymur Musayev, and Minister of Agriculture, Majnun Mammadov, emphasized the importance of food safety for protecting public health and food production and trade during the time of global threats and risks.