PEC/PREP-2  |
| PEC/PREP-2 |
Mexico Room, FAO Headquarters, 13 November 2000
Agenda Items 1 and 2: Objective of the Conference and draft agenda
Agenda Item 3 - Preparation of relevant documentation
Agenda Item 4 - Duration, time and place
Agenda Item 5 - Timetable of preparatory actions
Agenda Item 6 - Budget/Sources of funds
Agenda Item 7 - Date and place of next meeting
Annex 2
TIMETABLE FOR THE PREPARATORY ACTIONS
The first meeting of the Steering Committee for the Pan-European Conference on Food Safety and Quality was held at FAO Headquarters on 13 November 2000. It was attended by all members of the Steering Committee except Azerbaijan and Switzerland (see list of participants in Annex 1). In welcoming the participants, Mr Hartwig de Haen, Assistant Director-General, Economic and Social Department, noted that the high level of attendance was indicative of the importance that countries of the European region attach to the subject of food safety and quality.
As part of the background to the holding of the Pan-European Conference on Food Quality and Safety, Mr de Haen recalled that the original proposal had been made by the Delegation of the Netherlands at the Ministerial Round Table during the FAO Regional Conference for Europe, held in Porto, Portugal in July 2000 and had been supported by other delegations. The Regional Conference endorsed the proposal and recommended that similar initiatives be considered for other regions.
Mr de Haen informed the meeting of the need to avoid scheduling the Conference during the second half of 2001 because of the already dense schedule of events during that period. He also informed that Government of the Netherlands had very generously offered to support the event; however, there may well be a need for further support. There would also be a need for further sessions of the Steering Committee prior to the Conference itself.
Mr de Haen also expressed his appreciation that WHO had accepted to join the Steering Committee as this event was of extreme importance to both organizations.
At the suggestion of the EC and the Netherlands, the meeting agreed that Mr de Haen should chair the Steering Committee. The meeting also agreed that, as initiator of the event, the Netherlands should co-chair it.
The two items were discussed together as they were inter-related. The meeting considered the Working Document prepared by the Secretariat for this purpose. It agreed that the title of the Conference should cover both food safety and quality, in the order given, and that it should be held either as a joint FAO/WHO event or as an FAO event, in collaboration with WHO. The meeting also agreed that the Conference should aim at covering new areas of concern and avoid repeating discussion of issues which have already been dealt with in other fora or those that will be addressed specifically by the EU Conference on food safety being organized by Sweden in March 2001. It emphasized the need for the Conference to be forward looking and to consider issues that concern the region as a whole. The meeting decided not to include the harmonization of food regulations as this duplicates the work of the Codex Coordinating Committee for Europe.
The following substantive agenda items were then agreed upon:
The meeting discussed the feasibility of having a ministerial segment at the Conference to raise its political status. It was pointed out that it would be very difficult to get 43 ministers to attend the Conference and that it would be more appropriate to involve senior national food control experts representing the main sectors concerned, i.e. agriculture, health, commerce, etc... However, the Conference output could be discussed at the ministerial level during the next session of the FAO Regional Conference for Europe.
The meeting agreed on the need to involve NGOs in the Conference and discussed several possible options for their involvement. It concluded that there was a need for further reflection on this subject and official guidance before a final decision could be made.
The Steering Committee reviewed Annex 3 of the Working Document in light of the above agreed substantive agenda items, and identified the following papers and their proposed authors:
The Delegations of Sweden and the European Community offered their contributions to the preparation of the related paper (s).
The Delegation of the Netherlands offered to contribute in the preparation of a paper on: Early warning system for food safety.
The European Commission agreed to prepare a paper on the Rapid Alert System presently in operation within the EU, and its possible expansion to cover other non-EU countries.
FAO will prepare a paper on a pan European clearinghouse for food safety, animal and plant health.
Possible contributors: European Consumer Bureau; Consultative Committee on Consumer Affairs;
No proposal was made.
The Committee agreed to continue to reflect on the remaining papers to be prepared and to exchange ideas and proposals for contributions through the Chair and the Secretariat. It requested that other relevant organizations should be approached to contribute to the preparation of Conference documentation.
The Committee agreed that the duration of the Conference should be four days and that it should include plenary sessions for general discussions on the main topics and issues agreed earlier, and working group parallel sessions (2) to focus the discussion on specific topics of major relevance to the region. The following was generally retained:
First day: |
Plenary session |
Second day: |
2 parallel working group sessions |
Third day: |
Plenary session to discuss outcome of working group sessions |
Fourth day: |
report writing (am) and adoption (pm). |
The Steering Committee discussed the timing and venue of the Conference. It agreed that, in view of the fact that the Conference could not be held during the second half of 2001 as originally proposed, the most suitable period would be March 2002, and requested that exact timing be pursued by the co- chairs of the Steering Committee and the Secretariat in consultation with the Host country, and communicated to members of the Steering Committee.
The Delegation of Belgium informed the Steering Committee that they had originally offered to host the Conference during their presidency of the EU (second semester of 2001), but in view of the later date, this would now not be possible. The Delegation of the Netherlands stated that given the new situation that Belgium is no longer prepared to host the Conference, they needed to confer with their authorities regarding the possible holding of the Conference in the Netherlands The Delegation of Hungary indicated their interest in principle in hosting the Conference, but requested information on obligations of host country and an idea of the costs involved before they can confirm. The Secretariat agreed to provide the Delegation of Hungary with more detailed information regarding local costs so that they would be able to brief their Government as fully as possible.
The time table of preparatory actions was reviewed by the Steering Committee in light of the new proposed dates for the Conference. The revised timetable is contained in Annex 2
The Steering Committee considered the draft budget prepared by the Secretariat for the preparation for and convening of the Conference. It was indicated that the proposed budget, as given in Annex 5 of the Working Document, was very preliminary and could be significantly affected by such factors as ministerial attendance. The matter of funding of participants from countries in transition was discussed as was the need for the Steering Committee to meet at least one more time prior to the Conference itself. The inclusion of parallel working group session would also affect the interpretation cost. Several delegations felt that the cost of document preparation could be significantly reduced if the task of preparing them was assigned to member countries and sponsoring organizations. A suggestion was also made for FAO to include some support to the Conference in its Programme of Work and Budget for 2002-2003.
The Representatives of the Netherlands and of the European Community reiterated their readiness to provide financial and human resources support towards the preparation of the Conference. It was agreed that the Secretariat should prepare a revised budget estimate and communicate the same to members of the Steering Committee. The Secretariat would also pursue the funding support from donors.
The Steering Committee agreed tentatively to hold its second meeting in Rome in September 2001. The exact date would be fixed at a later stage. Between meetings, the Chair and the Secretariat would be in continuous contact with Members through various communication means.
No other matters were proposed for discussion. The meeting therefore closed at 17:30 on 13/11/2000.
Belgium
Belgique
M. René Poismans
Ministère de l'Agriculture et des Classes
Moyennes
Brussels
Tel. No. 32.2.208.4988
Fax. No. 32.2.208.5006
Email: [email protected]
M. Christian Monnoyer
Représentant permanent
Représentation permanente du Royaume du
Belgique auprès de la FAO
Via Omero 8
00197 Rome
Tel. No. 06.320.3903
European Community
Communauté européenne
Dr Henri Belvèze
European Commission
Rue de la Loi 200
1049 Brussels
Tel. No. 32.2.296.2812
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms Vilma Du Marteau
Permanent Representative
Delegation of the European Commission to
FAO
Via IV Novembre 149
00187 Rome
Tel. No. 39.06.679.7823
Fax. No. 39.06.679.7830
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms Frances-Anne Hunter
Alternate Permanent Representative
Delegation of the European Commission to
FAO
Via IV Novembre 149
00187 Rome
Tel. No. 39.06.679.7823
Fax. No. 39.06.679.7830
E-mail: [email protected]
France
M. Claude Chereau
Représentant Permanent de la France
auprès de l'OAA
Représentation permanente de la France
auprès de l'OAA
Corso del Rinascimento 52
00186 Rome
E-mail: [email protected]
M. Michel Thibier
Représentant permanent Adjoint, Conseiller
scientifique
Représentation permanente de la France
auprès de l'OAA
Corso del Rinascimento 52
00186 Rome
E-mail: [email protected]
Mme Roseline Lecourt
Chargée de mission au Cabinet du Directeur
Général de la Direction Générale de la
Concurrence, de la Consommation
et de la Répression des Fraudes
Paris
Tel. No. 33.1.44.97.34.70
M. Alain Dehove
Chef du Secteur des accords multilatéraux
de la Mission de coordination sanitaire
internationale de la Direction Générale de
l'Alimentation
Ministère de l'agriculture et de la pêche
Paris
Tel. No. 331.4955.8486
Fax. No. 331.4955.8314
E-mail: [email protected]
M. William Wilkinson
Chargé de mission
Délégation aux affaires européennes et
internationales
Ministère de l'emploi et de la solidarité -
santé
Paris
Tel. No. 33.1.40.56.43.51
Hungary
Hongrie
Ms Marian Kovács
Counsellor
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Hungary to FAO
Embassy of the Republic of Hungary
Via Luigi Lilio 59 C3
00143 Rome
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms Dóra Egri
Permanent Representation of the Republic of
Hungary to FAO
Embassy of the Republic of Hungary
Via Luigi Lilio 59 C3
00143 Rome
E-mail: [email protected]
Iceland
Islande
Mr Jon E. Jonasson
Alternate Permanent Representative
Office of the Alternate Permanent
Representative
Via Nazionale 163
Rome
Tel. No. 06.6938.0008/0339.898.7833
Fax. No. 06.6929.2908
E-mail: [email protected]
Netherlands
Pays Bas
Dr L.F Hagedoorn
Deputy Head of the Unit/Coordinator for
International Food Policy
Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management
and Fisheries
P.O. Box 20401
2500 EK The Hague
Tel. No. 31.70.378.5788
Fax. No. 31.70.378.6141
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr Jeroen Steeghs
Counsellor
Permanent Representation of the Kingdom
of the Netherlands to FAO
Via delle Terme Deciane 6
Rome
E-mail: [email protected]
Norway
Norvège
Ms. Berit Wilsher
Norwegian Food Control Authority
Oslo
Norway
Tel. No. 47.22.246.740
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr Dag Briseid
Minister Counsellor
Permanent Representative of the Kingdom
of Norway to FAO
Royal Norwegian Embassy
Via delle Terme Deciane 7
00153 Rome
E-mail: [email protected]
Slovak Republic
République Slovaque
Dr Milan Kovác
Director, Food Research Institute
Bratislava
Slovak Republic
Tel. No. 421.7.555.74622
Fax. No. 421.7.555.71417
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr Lubomír Micek
Counsellor Permanent Representative
of the Slovak Republic to FAO
Embassy of the Slovak Republic
Via dei Colli della Farnesina 144
00194 Rome
Tel. No. 06.367.151
Fax: 06.367.15266
E-mail: [email protected]
Sweden
Suède
Dr Stuart A. Slorach
Deputy Director-General
National Food Administration
Box 622
SE-75126 Uppsala
Sweden
Tel. No. 46.18.175594
Fax. No. 46.18.105848
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms Pernilla Ivarsson
Agricultural Counsellor, Deputy Permanent
Representative
Permanent Representaton of the Kingdom of
Sweden to FAO
Royal Swedish Embassy
Piazza Rio de Janeiro 3
00161 Rome
Tel. No. 06.4419.4251
Fax. No. 06.4419.4792
E-mail: [email protected]
WHO
OMS
Dr Jörgen Schlundt
Coordinator
Food Safety Programme
Department of Protection of the Human Environment
World Health Organization
20, Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Tel. No. 41.22.791.3445
Fax. No. 41.22.791.4807
E-mail: schlundtj.who.ch
FAO Secretariat
Secrétariat de l'OAA
Mr H. de Haen
Assistant Director-General
Economic and Social Department
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy
Tel. No. 06.5705.3566
Fax. No. 06/6704.4110
E-mail: [email protected]
Mr K. Tontisirin
Director
Food and Nutrition Division
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy
Tel. No. 06.5705.3330
Fax. No. 06.5705.4593
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr E. Boutrif
Officer-in-Charge
Food Quality and Standards Service
Food and Nutrition Division
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy
Tel. No. 06.5705.6156
Fax. No. 06.5705.4593
E-mail: [email protected]
Dr A.W. Randell
Secretary
Codex Alimentarius Commission
Food and Nutrition Division
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy
Tel. No. 06.5705.4390
Fax. No. 06.5705.4593
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms L. Costarrica
Senior Officer
Food Quality Liaison Group
Food and Nutrition Division
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy
Tel. No. 06.5705.6060
Fax. No. 06.5705.4593
E-mail: [email protected]
Ms R. Clarke
Nutrition Officer
Food Control and Consumer Protection Group
Food and Nutrition Division
FAO
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy
Tel. No. 06.5705.2010
Fax. No. 06.5705.4593
E-mail: [email protected]
(based on proposed Conference date of March 2002)
The Steering Committee's attention is drawn to the following essential preparatory actions which will need to be planned once the dates of the Conference have been decided: