INTRODUCTION
1. The sequence of the Procedure set out in this document is briefly as follows. The Commission decides that a standard should be elaborated and sets up a Codex Committee or entrusts the elaboration to some other body. The Codex Committee or other body produces a draft which at this stage is a “proposed draft standard”. It is circulated to governments for comments and may be considered and further amended, in the case of a regional or group of countries proposal by the appropriate Coordinating Committee if one exists or otherwise by the Codex Committee or other body. It is then presented to the Commission as a “proposed draft standard” and the Commission uses it as the basis for producing a “draft standard”. This is sent to governments for comments and in the light of these comments, and after further consideration by the Coordinating Committee or Codex Committee or other body, as the case may be, the Commission reconsiders the draft and adopts it as a “recommended standard”. This is sent to governments for acceptance and is published in the Codex Alimentarius as a Codex standard, when the Commission determines that it is appropriate to do so in the light of the acceptances received.
2. Except for provisions relating to acceptance, the provisions set out in Parts 1 and 2 of this document apply, mutatis mutandis, to the elaboration of codes of practice, and, as determined by the Commission, to other texts of a non-mandatory nature.
3. It will be open to the Commission and to the Coordinating Committee, Codex Committees and other bodies dealing with the preparation, amendment or adoption of a standard at steps 4, 5, 7 and 8 of the Procedure in Parts 1 and 2 of this document to decide that the draft be returned for further work at any appropriate previous step in the Procedure. It shall also be open to the Commission to authorize the omission of one or more of Steps 6, 7 and 8 of the Procedure in Parts 1 and 2 of this document if it considers, without dissent, that the completion of the standard is a matter of exceptional urgency or if it notes that the standard is entirely uncontroversial and that the standard has already proved to be generally agreeable to Members of the Commission.
4. It will be open to the Commission at any stage in the elaboration of a standard to entrust any of the remaining steps to a Codex Committee or other body different from that to which it was previously entrusted.
5. It will be for the Commission itself to keep under review the revision of “recommended standards”. The procedure for revision should, mutatis mutandis, be that laid down for the elaboration of Codex standards, except that, in the case of amendments to standards proposed by Codex Committees, Step 2 of the Procedure in Parts 1 and 2 of this document may be omitted.
6. The provisions set out in Part 2 of this document, apply, mutatis mutandis, to the elaboration of Codex standards for groups of countries spcifically enumerated by the Commission.
PART 1
PROCEDURE FOR THE ELABORATION OF WORLD-WIDE
CODEX STANDARDS
STEP 1:
The Commission decides on the elaboration of a world-wide Codex standard and decides which subsidiary body or other body should undertake the work.
STEP 2:
The subsidiary body or other body so designated prepares a proposed draft standard, taking into account the work accomplished by the appropriate international organizations. The draft is sent to the Commission's Secretariat by the Chairman of the subsidiary body or other body.
STEP 3:
The proposed draft standard is sent by the Commission's Secretariat to Member States and Associate Members of FAO and/or WHO and to the international organizations concerned in order to obtain their comments.
STEP 4:
The Commission's Secretariat sends the comments received from governments and from the international organizations concerned to the subsidiary body or other body concerned, which has the power to consider such comments and to amend the proposed draft standard, if appropriate.
STEP 5:
The proposed draft standard is submitted through the Secretariat to the Commission with a view to its adoption as a draft standard. The Commission may, however, refer it to a special subsidiary body, set up under Rule IX.1 (a) of the Rules of Procedure, before adopting it as a draft standard or may entrust the special subsidiary body with the responsibility for undertaking Steps 5, 7 and 8 of this Procedure or any part thereof.
STEP 6:
The draft standard is sent by the Commission's Secretariat for comment to all Member States and Associate Members of FAO and/or WHO and to the international organizations concerned.
STEP 7:
The comments received from governments and from the international organizations concerned are sent by the Secretariat to the subsidiary body or other body concerned, which has the power to consider such comments and amend the draft standard, if appropriate.
STEP 8:
The draft standard is submitted through the Secretariat to the Commission with a view to adoption as a recommended standard.
STEP 9:
The recommended standard is sent to all Member States and Associate Members of FAO and/or WHO and to the international organizations concerned. Members of the Commission notify the Secretariat of their acceptance of the recommended standard in accordance with the acceptance procedure laid down in paragraph 4 or in paragraph 5 of the General Principles of the Codex Alimentarius, whichever is appropriate. Member States and Associate Members of FAO and/ or WHO that are not Members of the Commission are invited to notify the Secretariat if they wish to accept the recommended standard.
STEP 10:
The recommended standard will be published in the Codex Alimentarius as a world-wide Codex standard when the Commission determines that it is appropriate to do so in the light of the acceptances received.
PART 2
PROCEDURE FOR THE ELABORATION OF
REGIONAL CODEX STANDARDS
STEP 1:
On the proposal of the majority of Members belonging to a given region submitted at a session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the Commission decides on the elaboration of a Codex standard for the region concerned and decides which subsidiary body or other body should undertake the work.
STEP 2:
The subsidiary body or other body so designated prepares a proposed draft standard, taking into account the work accomplished by the appropriate international organizations. The draft is sent to the Commission's Secretariat by the Coordinator for the region concerned if a Coordinator has been appointed; if no Coordinator has been appointed, the draft is sent by the Chairman of the subsidiary body or other body.
STEP 3:
The proposed draft standard is sent by the Commission's Secretariat to Member States and Associate Members of FAO and/or WHO and to the international organizations concerned in order to obtain their comments.
STEP 4:
If the Commission has appointed a Coordinating Committee for the region concerned, the comments received from governments and from the international organizations concerned are sent by the Secretariat to that Committee, which has the power to consider such comments and amend the proposed draft standard, if appropriate.1 If a Coordinating Committee has not been appointed, the Secretariat sends the comments received from governments and from the international organizations concerned to the subsidiary body or other body concerned, which has the power to consider such comments and to amend the proposed draft standard, if appropriate.
STEP 5:
The proposed draft standard is submitted through the Secretariat to the Commission with a view to adoption as a draft standard for the region concerned. At the appropriate session of the Commission, all Members may present their comments, take part in the debate and propose amendments but only the majority of the Members of the region concerned can decide to amend and adopt the draft.
STEP 6:
The draft standard for the region concerned is sent by the Commission's Secretariat for comment to all Member States and Associate Members of FAO and/or WHO and to the international organizations concerned.
STEP 7:
If the Commission has appointed a Coordinating Committee for the region concerned, the comments received from governments and from the international organizations concerned are sent by the Secretariat to that Committee which has the power to consider such comments and amend the draft standard, if appropriate.1 If a Coordinating Committee has not been appointed, the Secretariat sends the comments received from governments and from the international organizations concerned to the subsidiary body or other body concerned which has the power to consider such comments and to amend the draft standard, if appropriate.
STEP 8:
The draft standard is submitted through the Secretariat to the Commission with a view to adoption as a recommended standard for the region concerned. At the appropriate session of the Commission, all Members may present their comments, take part in the debate and propose amendments but only the majority of Members of the region concerned can decide to amend and adopt the draft.
STEP 9:
The recommended standard is sent to all Member States and Associate Members of FAO and/or WHO and to the international organizations concerned. The Members of the region concerned notify the Secretariat of their acceptance of the recommended standard in accordance with the acceptance procedure laid down in paragraph 4 or in paragraph 5 of the General Principles of the Codex Alimentarius, whichever is appropriate. Other Members of the Commission may likewise notify the Secretariat of their acceptance of the recommended standard or of any other measures they propose to adopt with respect thereto, and also submit any observations as to its application. Member States and Associate Members of FAO and/or WHO that are not Members of the Commission are invited to notify the Secretariat if they wish to accept the recommended standard.
STEP 10:
The recommended standard will be published in the Codex Alimentarius as a Codex standard for the region concerned when the Commission determines it appropriate to do so in the light of acceptances received from within the region.
STEP 11:
The Codex standard will be published in the Codex Alimentarius as a world-wide Codex standard when the Commission determines that it is appropriate to do so in the light of all acceptances received.
