THE USER'S MANUAL ON CODEX - Department of Biotechnology

The Commission approves the medium-term program of work proposed by the Executive Committee
on a six-yearly basis. It approves and/or suggests which standards should be developed or revised.
1.1 Budget
The CAC has a total budget in the vicinity of US$ 5 million per biennium, which is jointly funded by the
FAO (82 per cent) and the WHO (18 per cent). An additional and substantial part of the financial cost of the
work of the Commission is borne by the Member Governments that host Codex Committees and Task Forces.
There are no membership or entry fees or dues paid by the members of Codex and Codex does not
provide funding for attendance at any of its meetings. Member Governments and/or international
observer organizations directly meet the costs incurred in attending the sessions of the Commission or
its subsidiary bodies.
1.2 Administration
The work program and other activities of the Commission are administered through a small Secretariat
located at the FAO Headquarters. This work is assisted by country Secretariats within Member
Governments that host Codex Committees and Task Forces. In addition, an Executive Committee and
six Regional Coordinating Committees contribute to the administration of the work of the Commission.
The Executive Committee consists of the CAC Chairperson and three Vice-Chairpersons of the
Commission, together with seven further members elected by the Commission at their regular sessions
from among the members of the Commission. One member is elected from each of the seven
geographical regions, with no two members elected from the same country. Terms and re-election are
limited, so that the Chairperson and the three Vice-Chairpersons may hold their offices for no more
than four years. Members elected on a geographical basis may stay in office during two consecutive
terms of four years, provided they are re-elected.
The Executive Committee meets once between Commission sessions and also once before each
Commission session. During the period between Commission sessions, it acts as the executive organ of
the Commission and may make interim decisions for the Commission, subject to approval at the next
Commission session.
Regional Coordinating Committees assure that the work of the CAC is responsive to regional interests
and to developing countries. Codex Regional Coordinating Committees act in an advisory capacity to
the Executive Committee. Such Committees have been established for Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America
and the Caribbean, the Near East, and for (jointly) North America and the South-West Pacific.
1.3 Secretariat
The Secretariat to the CAC is a service within the Food and Nutrition Division, located in the FAO
Headquarters office in Rome, Italy. It provides administrative support to the Commission. It organizes
the sessions of the Commission and the Executive Committee. It coordinates the work of the Commission’s
subsidiary bodies and is the link with the Secretariats of these functioning Committees. The Secretariats
of the functioning Committees are the responsibility of the Member Country that has agreed to host that
specific Committee, as we will see later. The Codex Secretariat is also the link with National Codex
Contact Points (NCCP), designated by each member, and their National Codex Committees (NCC), if
there is one. The Codex Secretariat provides the essential link between the Commission and the Member
Governments (see Annex 1).
1.4 Procedural Manual
The objectives and modus operandi of the Commission are set out in its procedural manual. This
comprehensive text is updated following most Commission meetings, as the Codex evolves to meet the
ongoing needs of its members.
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