Dr Ailan Li, Assistant Director-General, WHO, opened the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, taking place in Geneva, Switzerland from 10-14 July 2023, calling on governments to ensure that food meets safety standards to guarantee the basic human right of people to enjoy access to safe, nutritious and healthy food.

Codex sets standards based on a rigorous and inclusive scientific process with the support of FAO and WHO. Li said: “Food standards save lives. When food standards are implemented, people can be confident that food will not harm them.”

Addressing the need to face evolving food safety challenges, Li said there was high demand for scientific advice and risk assessment that are robust, open, transparent, inclusive, and timely.

Dr Markus Lipp, FAO said it may be time for Codex to consider helping reframe the narrative of food safety: “Food safety is not a hurdle to overcome, or a bar we have to strain to meet. We will rather need a narrative that positions and promotes food safety as an enabler”, for trade, for the transformation of our agrifood systems and as an enabler of human health and well-being, he said.

Steve Wearne, United Kingdom, Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, said the development of standards to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade remained at the heart of Codex. Commenting on the agenda before the Executive: “In this committee, one of the main ways in which we contribute is through critical review and work monitoring,” he said.

What is the critical review?

This process, one of the prime responsibilities of the Executive Committee, ensures that proposals for new work and draft standards submitted to the Commission for adoption continue to meet the strategic priorities of the Commission and can be developed within a reasonable period of time, taking into account the requirements and availability of scientific expert advice.

Learn more

Read about the critical review in the Codex Procedural Manual (Section 2)

CCEXEC84 meeting page

Photo credit

(l to r) Markus Lipp, Moez Sanaa (WHO), Ailan Li, Steve Wearne, Tom Heilandt (Codex Secretary)

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