228. The Commission had before it a timetable of Codex sessions for 1970/71 as set out in document ALINORM 70/27. The Commission noted that most of the dates given in the timetable were firm dates.
229. The delegation of the Netherlands stated that the date shown for the forthcoming sessions of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (28 September - 6 October) could be regarded as being a firm date at this time, although the question was raised as to whether a meeting of this Committee could profitably be held before a meeting of the ad hoc group referred to in paragraph 162. The date shown for the meeting of the Codex Committee on Food Additives (12–16 October) was a firm date.
230. The delegation of Norway stated that the date given for the next session of the Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products would present serious difficulties from the point of view of hotel accommodation and that the Norwegian authorities had fixed the date 5–10 October. This date should be regarded as a firm date.
231. The delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany stated that the dates given for the sessions of the Codex Committees on Foods for Special Dietary Uses (30 November - 4 December) and Methods of Analysis and Sampling (25–30 January 1971) were firm dates. The delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany also stated that the date suggested by the Ad Hoc Group of Experts on Meat Hygiene for the next session of the Codex Committee on Meat (16–20 November) was acceptable. It had been the intention of the authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany to devote one day in that week to a meeting of Sub-Committee I on Cutting Methods and Cuts of Carcases, but in view of the fact that many delegations had expressed the wish that the meeting should be devoted entirely to the subject of meat hygiene, the delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany stated that it would arrange this accordingly, and would also enquire into the possibility of arranging for the meeting to continue into Saturday of that week. The delegation of the Federal Republic of Germany stated that all the above meetings would be held in Cologne.
232. In view of the decision taken by the Commission on the Step 8 standards for fruit juices, the Secretariat was requested to consider whether the date given in the timetable for the next session of the Group of Experts on Fruit Juices would still be a suitable date. The Secretariat was asked to satisfy itself that whatever date was fixed would be one which would enable the Group of Experts to deal with the points raised by the Commission. The Commission noted that, in view of the desire of some overseas delegations that sessions of the Groups of Experts on Fruit Juices and Quick Frozen Foods should be held in consecutive weeks, any change in the date of the meeting of the Fruit Juice Group would affect the date for the next session of the Group of Experts on Quick-Frozen Foods.
233. The delegation of Austria stated that it was willing to hold the next session of the Coordinating Committee for Europe in Vienna from 5–10 October 1970. The Commission considered that the next session of the Coordinating Committee should be held when the papers on the subjects which had been assigned to the Committee were available.
234. As regards the date fixed for the next session of the Codex Committee on Cocoa Products and Chocolate, the Commission noted that the Secretariat was doubtful as to whether the necessary documentation could be prepared and distributed in good time for consideration before the session.
235. The Commission agreed that it was essential that governments have adequate time to consider comments on standards at Step 8 and decided that the next session of the Commission should be held not earlier than May and preferably in June 1971.
236. The Commission agreed that the Secretariat should consider and report to the Executive Committee on the possibility of making arrangements for the meetings of Codex Committees over a period of at least two years and also on the need to increase the period between sessions of the Commission to more than one year.
237. The Commission drew the attention of host governments to paragraph 5 of the Guidelines concerning the responsibility of Codex Committee Secretariats for the preparation of the draft report.
