10. The Executive Committee welcomed the overview of developments concerning the application of risk analysis principles in Codex work. However, it discussed a number of specific issues arising from the proposed Action Plan presented in paragraph 32, in particular recommendation (v) which seemed to overlap with other recommendations, and recommendations (viii) and (ix) which depended on a the prior establishment of Codex principles. It also generally agreed with the recommendations of the FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on the Application of Risk Management to Food Safety Matters contained in Annex 1 of ALINORM 97/9, but it proposed that the Commission consider these individually, rather than give an overall endorsement.
11. The Executive Committee noted that it might not be possible or appropriate to develop risk management policies based on the application of a single risk management strategy for the different classes of hazards which needed to be addressed (see para. 11 of ALINORM 97/9): different strategies might need to be applied under the same generic principles to the management of different classes of hazards.
12. Regarding the recommendation to establish a mechanism for the expert assessment of biological risks (Recommendation 7 of the Expert Consultation), the Executive Committee was informed that FAO and WHO had started seeking ways and means to make such expert advice available to Codex on a permanent basis.
PROPOSED ACTION PLAN FOR CODEX-WIDE DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF RISK ANALYSIS PRINCIPLES AND GUIDELINES
13. The Executive Committee stressed the need for timeliness in developing and implementing the Action Plan with a view to the adoption of risk analysis principles and guidelines by the 23rd Session of the Commission (1999). It proposed that a full interim report based on the comments of Member Governments, Codex Committees and interested international organizations be made available at its next session, so that the specific proposals to be placed before the Committee on General Principles at its next meeting in November 1998 could be reviewed by the Executive Committee.
14. On this basis, the Executive Committee proposed a revised Action Plan in place of that presented in paragraph 32 of the working document, as follows:
(i) Circulate the proposed Definitions for Risk assessment policy and Risk profile[5] to governments, Codex committees and interested international organizations for comment, and request the Codex Committee on General Principles to consider these comments with a view to making firm recommendations for adoption of these definitions to the 23rd Session of the Commission;(ii) Endorse recommendations 2 to 6 addressed to it by the Expert Consultation, and request the relevant Codex Committees to take action as necessary.
(iii) Endorse recommendations 7 to 11 of the Expert Consultation and request FAO and WHO to take action as necessary;
(iv) Recommend that a FAO/WHO Expert Consultation be convened on risk communication so as to provide a formal source of principles on this element of risk analysis;
(v) Request the CCGP to elaborate integrated principles for risk management and risk assessment policy setting, risk communication and documentation for inclusion in the Procedural Manual. Proposed "working principles" are contained in Annex 2 to the working paper;
(vi) Once principles have been established, specific guidelines should be prepared as required to aid in the uniform application of the principles. The CCGP should be requested to co-ordinate this exercise and all relevant Codex Committees should be involved;[6]
(vii) Include the principles and guidelines in the "Elaboration Procedures" section of the Procedural Manual, with the addition of introductory narrative on risk analysis in the Codex system, and identification of the responsibilities of Committees in implementation of the principles and guidelines;
(viii) Recognise that the judgement of equivalence of food control systems in different countries is a critical issue, and that Codex principles and guidelines associated with determination of equivalence will facilitate this process;
(ix) Until such time as the principles are adopted by the Commission, request JECFA, JMPR and other advisory bodies and Codex Committees to continue evaluating and improving the application of the elements of risk assessment and risk management that they have prioritised for attention;
(x) Encourage further development of qualitative risk assessment approaches so as to achieve early improvements in elaboration of food standards.
