At today’s opening of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the release of a new report about World Food Safety Day 2020. “Under the theme ‘Food safety, everyone’s business’, the WHO-led event focused on building and maintaining safe food in marketplaces,” he said, referring to the UN Day while holding up a copy of the report for participants to see. The report, World Food Safety Day 2020 - Overview of an inspiring virtual celebration, offers a [...]

The Directors-General of FAO and WHO, the parent organizations of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, set the stage for five days of decision-making on food standards with a message about getting ‘better’. More than 800 registered delegates joined the first-ever virtual Commission, now in its 43rd session, held remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  In congratulating the Commission for ‘jumping into the digital world’, FAO Director-General Dr QU Dongyu noted that science is the driving force for setting Codex food standards. “When [...]

At 12:00 CET on Thursday 24 September 2020, the Directors-General of FAO and WHO will welcome over 600 delegates to the first ever virtual session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission - CAC43. Following an overwhelmingly positive response from Member Countries, the two-thirds majority required to ensure the 43rd meeting could go ahead, have affirmed their belief that Codex international food safety standards have a vital role to play for consumers in every home. The standards, guidelines and codes of practice that [...]

Por lo general, en los días previos a la reunión anual de la Comisión del Codex Alimentarius, cientos de delegados emprenderían su viaje, a veces desde el otro lado del mundo, para asistir a una semana entera de sesiones plenarias en Ginebra o Roma. Este año, cuando el 43.° período de sesiones de la CAC dé comienzo el 24 de septiembre de 2020, los preparativos logísticos tendrán más que ver con la conexión wifi y las cámaras web que con visas [...]

In the two short years since the World Food Safety Day was created, we have already seen the engagement and momentum that this campaign can garner from all corners of the industry and around the world. Food safety truly is everyone’s business, and it is heartening to see WFSD participation from the private sector and public sector alike. At the end of the day, we are all consumers and can all join forces behind the vision of safe food for [...]

El seminario web organizado por la Secretaría del Codex el viernes 11 de septiembre de 2020 contó con la participación de 86 países y la Unión Europea, además de 34 organizaciones observadoras y un número de asistentes que superó las 300 personas. En la apertura del periodo de sesiones, el presidente de la Comisión del Codex Alimentarius, Guilherme Da Costa, de Brasil, rindió homenaje a los puntos de contacto del Codex de todo el mundo, que desempeñan un papel fundamental en [...]

As Codex Members and Observers prepare to take part in the first ever virtual session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which starts on 24 September 2020, the Codex Secretariat has organized a training webinar to prepare delegates for the online meeting. This webinar will take place on Friday 11 September 2020, at 12.00 (CET). Delegates will hear from the Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Guilherme Da Costa and from Codex Secretary, Tom Heilandt, how it was possible to arrange for [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic will have an unprecedented impact on global and regional trade. According to the World Trade Organization, world merchandise trade in 2020 could fall by as much as 32 percent. New policy guidance, part of the FAO COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme, describes how the current economic recession is raising serious concerns about hunger and malnutrition. It goes on to explain how ad-hoc trade restrictions, including food safety measures that may not be science based, have worsened the situation [...]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service is recognizing September as Food Safety education Month and encouraging consumers to follow good food safety practices to protect themselves and their families from foodborne illness. The guidance reminds consumers they should follow four simple steps for food safety: Clean, Separate, Cook, and Chill. Read the USDA press release here. Learn more about the four steps at Foodsafety.gov.  

Roberto Azevêdo was the sixth Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), serving from September 2013. In May 2020 he announced that he would be stepping down on 31 August of this year. Codex food safety standards, guidelines and codes of practice are designated by the WTO as the international benchmarks under its Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement. Codex Chairperson Guilherme Da Costa, Brazil, said: “I had the privilege of working directly with Ambassador Roberto Azevêdo from 2010 to 2012 when I [...]