Delegates from 16 member countries are gathered in Santiago, Chile 22 to 25 October, 2019 for the 21st FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for the Latin America and the Caribbean region (CCLAC). Diego Varela, Chairperson of the committee and International Affairs Coordinator at the Chilean Agency for Food Safety and Quality (ACHIPIA), extended a warm welcome to those present recalling the importance of collaboration and communication within countries to address food safety and trade issues in the region. Based on science. Marisa Caipo, Food Safety [...]

The Latin American and the Caribbean region has a third of the world’s fresh water resources and more than a quarter of the world’s medium to high potential farmland. It is one of the largest net food exporting regions in the world and its agricultural production continues to expand. Chile, elected as Regional Coordinator for the first time in 2015, is serving a second term that will end in 2020 at the 43rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. The FAO/WHO [...]

A two-day training workshop for National Codex Committee (NCC) members and the officials of National Codex Contact Point (NCCP) of Bhutan was held from 15 to 16 October 2019 at Tashi Namgay Resort, Paro. The training workshop was organized by the Bhutan Agriculture and Food Regulatory Authority (BAFRA), Ministry of Agriculture and Forests, with the main objective to enhance the participation of Bhutan in the work of Codex through training of officials, including NCC members and by examining key areas [...]

More than 500 women from all over the country and more than 1000 participants gathered in Bobo-Dioulasso, the economic capital of western Burkina Faso to celebrate the 39th World Food Day from 14 to 16 October 2019. Government departments responsible for food and nutrition were mobilized for the event where the National Codex Alimentarius Committee also held an exhibition to raise awareness about Codex, the best actions and practices to ensure healthy food and healthy eating. This year's World Food Day [...]

A productive session at the Codex Committee for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables as four standards are sent for adoption to the next Codex Alimentarius Commission in July. “These hopefully soon to be adopted standards for kiwifruit, garlic, ware potatoes and yam represent a milestone in international standard setting activities", said Alfonso Guati Rojo, Chairperson of the committee. Rojo also saluted the hard work by delegates:  “Consensus is key for developing Codex standards”, he said and “in Mexico we will include [...]

Following the recent meeting of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Asia (CCASIA), the Codex Secretariat learnt that Dr Yayoi Tsujiyama retired from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries of Japan at the beginning of October. Dr. Tsujiyama, has long been involved in many multilateral food safety fora including Codex, serving as Vice-Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) from 2014-2017 and as Coordinator for CCASIA from 2011 to 2014. During her service as Vice-Chairperson of CAC, she also led the [...]

Mr Alfonso Guati-Rojo Sánchez, Chairperson of the Committee, welcomed delegates to the twenty-first session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: "It is an honor for Mexico to host CCFFV since 1988: we have been working continuously for 31 years and have managed to jointly build 37 international standards. This work directly contributes to ensure fair practices in food trade and to protect consumer health". Emphasizing the importance of consensus in timely completion of Codex standards Sánchez said, "it is important [...]

Members and Observers from over 30 countries will meet in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico from 7 to 11 October 2019 to develop standards at the 21st session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CCFFV). Chaired by Alfonso Guati Rojo Sánchez, Director General for Standards in the Ministry of Economy, Mexico, the meeting will examine a range of standards where the committee is close to proposing adoption to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, including kiwifruit, garlic and ware potatoes. Countries [...]

Vice-minister of Health, Kazakhstan, Ms L. Aktayeva (main picture) welcomed delegates to the thirty-first session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Europe. "I am confident that active participation of delegates in this meeting will make a significant contribution to solving various issues in the field of food safety, which will strengthen health of people and nations", she said. Drawing on the impetus of the Sustainable Development Goals Aktayeva said, “Codex standards are directly related to food safety and fair practices [...]

The European region is not only the largest in the Codex Alimentarius Commission but is probably the most diverse. It resembles a bridge between the West and the East. It is symbolic that for the first time, Kazakhstan, geographically located both in Europe and in Asia currently serves as coordinator for the region. The FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Europe (CCEURO) will bring together in Almaty, Kazakhstan,  from 30 September to 4 October 2019, delegates and observers from 51 countries that make [...]