INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES
Communication
from the Codex Alimentarius Commission (codex)
The following communication, received on 13 November 2023, is being circulated at the request of
the Codex secretariat.
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1 INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS
1.1 42nd Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of
Analysis and Sampling (Budapest, Hungary, 13–16 June 2023)
1.1. The work of CCMAS is important for conformity assessment or
compliance with Codex standards or national regulations/regulations.
1.2. CCMAS42 completed work on the revision of the General Guidelines on Sampling (CXG 50‑2004)
which it has forwarded to CAC46 for adoption. The revised Guidelines follow a
more innovative and statistical approach to sampling and will be supported by
an information document comprising an e-book and sampling plan apps which is
intended to be completed by the next session of CCMAS in 2024. These revised
Guidelines will provide guidance to regulators who need to develop sampling
plans for conformity assessment purposes that are easily understood and
useable.
1.3. CCMAS42 finalized an information document, Procedures for the
estimation of measurement uncertainty, to support the implementation of the
Guidelines on measurement uncertainty, which will be published on the Codex
website.
1.4. In addition, CCMAS is continuing to update methods of analysis in
its single reference standard, the General
Standard for Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CXS 234-1999) and has
advanced several updated methods, in particular, for the following commodities:
fats and oils, cereals, pulses and legumes, processed fruits and vegetables and
milk and milk products, infant formula, amongst others.
1.2 54th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues
(CCPR54, Beijing, China, 26 June – 1 July 2023)
1.5. CCPR54 recommended several new and revised maximum residue limits
(MRLs) for pesticide/commodity combinations in food/feed for adoption by CAC46
with the subsequent revocation of associated MRLs previously adopted by CAC.
1.6. In particular, several MRLs for the group peppers have been revised
to include okra, martynia and roselle, minor crops commodities that necessitate
MRLs to facilitate international trade. These MRLs will remain in place
until further data can be generated for review by the Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on
Pesticides (JMPR) to determine whether single MRLs for these commodities can be
established or whether a separate or the same group (peppers) can accommodate
MRLs for okra, martynia and roselle. CCPR will monitor progress on data
generation in order to make sure data is timely submitted to JMPR for review in
the near future.
1.7. CCPR54 continues work on establishment of MRLs for pesticides for
new and existing compounds through the submission of the priority list of
pesticides for evaluation by JMPR for approval as new work by CAC46.
1.8. CCPR54 also completed work on the revision of the Classification of Foods and Animal Feed
(CXA 4-1989) with the finalization of groups related to animal commodities and
the corresponding table of representative commodities for the establishment of
group MRLs using extrapolation approach. These groups and the corresponding
tables, including other revisions to facilitate understanding of the
Classification to establish MRLs for pesticides are for final adoption by
CAC46.
1.9. CCPR54 recommended new work to provide guidance for monitoring the
purity and stability of reference materials and related stock solutions of
pesticides during prolonged storage to allow the extended use of the RMs which
are stable with acceptable purity beyond their expiry dates specified for
robust pesticide residue analysis.
1.3 33rd Session of the Codex Committee on General Principles
(Bordeaux, France, 2‑6 October 2023)
1.10. The Codex Procedural Manual (PM) provides the framework within which
Codex undertakes its work and he Codex secretariat has developed a new format
and layout of the PM which was presented at CCGP33. The aim is to improve
accessibility and usability. Among the new features introduced, were a foreword
to give more visibility to the major additions/changes included in the latest
version of the PM, and additional front and end matter sections, e.g., list of
abbreviations, to facilitate easier navigation and usability.
1.11. In considering further recommendations on possible improvements
CCGP33 also agreed to recommend that CAC46 approved the move of Section 6
(Membership of the Codex Alimentarius Commission) of the PM to the Codex
website with a link to the list provided in the PM, thereby ensuring that the
list could be updated without issuing new editions of the PM.
1.12. The Codex PM has evolved since the first edition was published in
1968 and additions over time have led to inconsistencies as well as some
content being superseded. Continuing with the aim of improving usability CCGP33
discussed inconsistencies and superseded text in the PM and agreed to forward
to CAC46 for approval changes to the PM to align with modern technologies and
current practices, and a request to members to identify any other such areas
that may need to be addressed.
2 Cross-cutting matters of general interest to the work of CAC and its
subsidiary bodies
2.1 84th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland, 10-14 July 2023)
2.1. Matters of relevance arising from CCEXEC84 concerning horizontal
discussions in Codex that may be of relevance to the SPS Committee are
summarized below Codex.
2.2 Application of the Statements of Principle Concerning the Role of
Science in the Codex Decision-Making Process and the extent to which other
factors are taken into account (SoP)
2.2. CAC45 (2022) agreed to refer the draft Guidance for Codex
Chairpersons and members on the application of the SoP to the Chairpersons of
Codex subsidiary bodies to facilitate deliberations on matters that fell within
the scope of the SoP and urged members to take account of the draft guidance as
appropriate during the process of standards development and advancement. CAC
further requested the Codex secretariat to invite members and observers to
provide specific suggestions to improve the draft guidance, its finalization
and possible incorporation into guidance documents for Chairpersons and members.
The updated draft guidance will be discussed at CAC46 in late November 2023.
2.3 60th Anniversary of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
2.3. CAC45 encouraged members and observers to fully engage in the
celebrations and to share information on their plans and activities directly
and through the Codex secretariat; and urged members to commit to advocacy at
all levels to ensure both the widest possible participation in the celebrations
and the widest possible promotion of the work of Codex.
2.4 Codex Strategic Plan 2020-2025 (SP) – Monitoring framework on the
use and impact of Codex standards
2.4. CAC45 noted the continuing evolution of the Codex SP monitoring
framework and requested the Codex secretariat to review it.
2.5. CCEXEC84 considered a proposed revision to the monitoring framework
and recommended that lessons learnt from the development and implementation of
the monitoring framework for the Strategic Plan 2020-25 be taken into account
when developing the monitoring framework for the Strategic Plan 2026-2031.
CCEXEC noting the report of the survey on the use and impact of Codex texts and
its recommendations confirmed that the survey approach, piloted in 2022, should
be used as part of the mechanism to monitor the use and impact of Codex texts.
2.5 Codex Strategic Plan 2026-2031
2.6. CAC45 noted that there would be benefit in undertaking the
elaboration of the next Strategic Plan with the membership in parallel with the
development of the monitoring framework led by the Codex secretariat.
2.7. CCEXEC84 began work on developing the Codex Strategic Plan 2026-2031
and considered a possible structure together with a timetable and process for
its elaboration. In agreeing on an approach to move forward, CCEXEC84
recognized the value of immediate and ongoing engagement with the Codex
membership on the process of drafting the Strategic Plan 2026-2031 using a
range of modalities; the key role of CCEXEC on providing strategic direction to
the Commission, and the importance of its involvement throughout the drafting
of the Strategic Plan 2026-2031. CCEXEC85 will review intersessional work
and discuss the next steps regarding the development of the Strategic Plan
2026-2031.
2.6 New food sources and production systems (NFPS)
2.8. CAC45 recognized the importance of Codex working in a flexible and
timely manner to consider NFPS as an important topic in the development of
international standards aimed at protecting consumer health and ensuring fair
practices in the food trade.
2.9. CAC45 encouraged members to submit proposals related to NFPS using
existing mechanisms and subsidiary bodies to consider NFPS in their
deliberations and requested the Codex secretariat to invite comments from members
and observers for the identification of possible issues related to NFPS that
the current structure and procedures could not address and options to address
them for discussion at CAC46.
2.7 Future of Codex
2.10. CAC45 considered a report to develop a blueprint for the future of
Codex based on the experience gained and changes needed to remain active during
the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the timely opportunity of the 60th
Anniversary to ensure that, in moving forward, Codex was fit for purpose. The
context in which Codex will be working in the future has been one of the areas
of discussion and if feeding into the development of the Codex Strategic plan
2026-2031. In the course of the work note has been taken of the 12th
Ministerial Conference of the WTO and its acknowledgement of the centrality of
Codex standard setting in the multilateral system in the context of emerging
global challenges.
2.11. The discussions on the future of Codex have had a particular focus
on preparedness in terms of working modalities and the evolution of working
practices within Codex related to meeting formats, meeting schedules, and
working groups, and other virtual informal working mechanisms.
2.12. CAC45 noted that the future of Codex was a work in progress and that
there would be an opportunity in 2023 for all members and observers to engage
on this topic and noted the need, in due course, to review the PM to ensure
that its provisions enabled and facilitated continued virtual and hybrid
meetings.
2.8 Other matters
2.13. Further information on the work of these committees can be found in
the report of the Session available on the Codex website _CAC45, _CCMAS42, _CCPR54, _CCEXEC84 and _CCGP33.
3 FORTHCOMING CODEX MEETINGS OF SPS RELEVANCE (As of November 2023,
See the Codex website for the full meeting calendar)
3.1 CCEXEC
3.1. 85th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC85, Rome, Italy, 20-24 November 2023) (physical)
3.2 CAC
3.2. 46th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC46,
Rome, Italy, 27 November – 2 December 2023) (physical with possibility of
remote participation)
3.3. Regular updates on the status of work of CCEXEC85 and CAC46 are published on their
dedicated webpages.
3.4. For specific questions on the status of work in Codex committees of
interest to SPS delegates please check the dedicated webpages or send an email
to codex@fao.org.
4 GENERAL
4.1. The Codex secretariat in collaboration with Host Country
Secretariats are continuing to convene virtual and physical working group
meetings and webinars in advance of Codex subsidiary sessions to support
delegations' preparations and facilitate discussions and consensus-building in
plenary. Further information is available on the Committee webpages and the Codex calendar.
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