THE USER'S MANUAL ON CODEX - Department of Biotechnology

for establishing food safety standards, the Commission has a clear obligation to respond to food standards
issues that protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade. Interaction with
other related international bodies will ensure international congruity on regulatory initiatives and
developments as they emerge.
k Enhancing the capacity to respond effectively and expeditiously to new issues, concerns and
developments in the food sector: The rapid development of technology and the emergence of food
safety as a major public policy issue will continue to stimulate the Commission’s capacity to respond to
the needs of its members in a timely and effective manner. The development of the Strategic Framework,
expanding opportunities for the discussion of selected contemporary food safety and regulatory policy
issues, promoting consensus-based decision-making, and utilizing modern information technologies
are means at hand for the Commission to refocus the manner in which it communicates its outcome.
k Promoting the maximum membership and participation: As noted above, the membership of the Codex
Alimentarius Commission in 2001 had grown to 165 countries. But members must participate fully,
particularly developing countries, as they contribute to the significant proportion of Codex Member Countries.
The Commission recognizes that resource constraints may impede the effective participation by developing
countries, and that bilateral or multilateral technical assistance, including training, are needed.
k Promoting the maximum application of Codex standards: The Commission has a clear and strategic
interest in promoting the maximum use of its standards both for domestic regulation and for international
trade. Harmonization with Codex norms is essential for promoting a global approach to consumer
health protection and minimizing the negative effects of technical regulations on international trade.
Sustained commitment and effort is required in promoting the application of sound science, the principles
of risk analysis, the Statements of Principle on the Role of Science in the Codex Decision-making Process
and the Statements of Principle Relating to the Role of Food Safety Risk Assessment. Similiarly, the
processes of Codex must be inclusive and transparent and provide for the participation and input of all
interested groups at both, national and international levels. Section 4 of this training manual specifically
addresses the latter issue.
The Strategic Framework for 2003-2007 provides the basis for the Medium-term Plan for the same
period. The 24th Session of the Commission (2001) required a new dimension to the Medium-term Plan
in the form of cost estimates that would determine whether the objectives could be achieved within
available resources. The plan is updated following each Codex Committee/Task Force session to include
new proposals as they arise. It is available from the Codex web site: www.codexalimentarius.net.
5. CONCLUSION
The fundamental mandate of the Commission is to develop international standards for consumer health
protection and fair practices in food trade. The Strategic Framework for FAO 2000-2015 accords a
high priority to promoting policy and regulatory frameworks for food at the international and national
levels. Similarly, the 53rd Session of the World Health Assembly recognized the need to highlight health
considerations in international food trade. It acknowledged the importance of the CAC for assuring the
highest levels of consumer health protection.
Further, as Codex standards, guidelines and recommendations have the full support of the World Trade
Organization’s SPS and TBT Agreements, they will also play a significant role in the harmonization of
national food safety standards. Thus, the collective body of Member Countries that comprise the CAC
continues to develop international agreed standards and related texts for use in domestic regulation
and international trade in food that is based on scientific principles and fulfills the objectives of consumer
health protection and fair practices in food trade.
REFERENCES
1. Understanding the Codex Alimentarius. FAO/WHO. Rome. 1999. www.codexalimentarius.net
2. Codex Alimentarius.14 Volumes. www.codexalimentarius.net
3. Codex Alimentarius Commission Procedural Manual.12th edition. FAO/WHO. Rome. 2001.
www.codexalimentarius.net
30