Observateurs du Codex
Le mandat du Codex est fondé sur les valeurs fondamentales de collaboration, inclusivité, recherche du consensus et transparence. Qu’elles soient gouvernementales ou non gouvernementales, publiques ou privées, les organisations tierces garantissent la qualité et l’exactitude scientifique des textes du Codex et jouent ainsi un rôle crucial.
Le Codex n’aurait guère de crédibilité dans le domaine de la normalisation internationale s’il ne faisait pas appel aux contributions des observateurs et s’il n’en reconnaissait pas toute la valeur. Des groupes d’experts techniques, des représentants du secteur agroalimentaire et d’associations de consommateurs contribuent au processus d’élaboration des normes dans un esprit d’ouverture, de collaboration et de transparence.
Les organisations intergouvernementales (OIG) et les organisations non gouvernementales (ONG) internationales peuvent demander à obtenir le statut d’observateur afin de pouvoir participer aux réunions du Codex et exprimer leur point de vue à chaque étape du processus d’élaboration des norms.
À l'heure actuelle, la Commission du Codex Alimentarius compte: 211 observateurs (48 organisations intergouvernementales, 147 organisations non gouvernementales et 16 organisations du système des Nations Unies).
Observer News
https://youtu.be/SQnz06aj6jY
Observing Codex / webinar highlights strong commitment of Observers to Codex standard setting
A webinar held on 20 October 2021 demonstrated to an online audience of over 150 how Codex Observers can contribute to the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. Hosted by the Codex Secretariat as part of a series of live online events, the webinar was an opportunity for a wide variety of observer organizations to explain and discuss how they contribute to Codex work.
The 240 Observers in Codex are made up of UN agencies, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations (from [...]
21 September 2021
Live event on Observer organizations to strengthen understanding of Codex
A webinar open to both Members and Observers will take place on Monday 20 September 2021 from 12:00 to 14:00 CEST and will provide an opportunity to engage with a variety of Codex observer organizations from the 240 currently accredited to the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
“We see on a daily basis the contribution experts from observer organizations bring to Codex meetings and working groups and we are fully aware that without their contributions Codex may not be in a position to [...]
07 September 2021
Two observers on working virtually and the value of global standards
The International Fruit and Vegetable Juice Association (IFU) represents producers, associations, traders, machinery and packaging producers and public and private scientific institutions from around the world. As a worldwide association, IFU has faced similar challenges to Codex when it comes to arranging meetings. “Unfortunately, our physical meetings and events were all cancelled so we moved to remote meeting. It’s not the same so we try and have shorter sessions … at different times to try and enable all time zones [...]
28 September 2020
Outgoing DG Azevêdo strengthened Codex-WTO collaboration
Roberto Azevêdo was the sixth Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), serving from September 2013. In May 2020 he announced that he would be stepping down on 31 August of this year.
Codex food safety standards, guidelines and codes of practice are designated by the WTO as the international benchmarks under its Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement.
Codex Chairperson Guilherme Da Costa, Brazil, said: “I had the privilege of working directly with Ambassador Roberto Azevêdo from 2010 to 2012 when I [...]
31 August 2020
1 June World Milk Day / Helping a vibrant dairy sector produce safe and quality milk
On World Milk Day, it is important to recognize the role of international guidelines and standards processes behind the production of safe milk and dairy products. Since 1903, the International Dairy Federation (IDF) has provided a mechanism for the dairy sector to reach global consensus on how to help feed the world with safe and sustainable dairy products. IDF’s member countries represent the entire dairy chain, including governments, farmers, processors, traders, input providers and academia: approximately 75% of global milk [...]
01 June 2020
WTO / Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement encourages participation in Codex
The World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), meeting from 26-27 February 2020, in Geneva Switzerland at WTO headquarters, seeks to ensure that technical regulations and standards, including packaging, marking and labelling requirements do not create unnecessary obstacles to trade.
Just as with the Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, the TBT Agreement encourages members at all levels of development to participate in relevant standard-setting bodies. This is important to ensure that these bodies produce standards on products [...]
26 February 2020
How a Codex guideline will ensure UNICEF can deliver safe food
The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) is working on a text, developed following a request from UNICEF, which will provide guidance on technical and nutritional aspects of the production of Ready to Use Therapeutic Foods for children from the age of 6 to 59 months with severe acute malnutrition.
Children affected by this type of malnutrition, known as SAM, need safe, palatable foods with a high energy content and adequate amounts of vitamins, minerals and [...]
22 August 2019
Coordinated research contributing to future standards through Codex mechanism
by Zhihua Ye, Joint FAO/IAEA Division-IAEA.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), through the Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture (the “Joint FAO/IAEA Division”), support and implement activities related to the improvement of food safety and control systems. These activities are therefore closely related to the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) and several of its committees, such as CCPR, CCCF, CCRVDF and CCMAS.
The Joint [...]
24 July 2019
Experts agree Codex can build trust in food sold online
International governmental and non-governmental organizations, taking advantage of the global interest generated by the International Food Safety Conference in Addis Ababa in February 2019, discussed the Future of Food and the role Codex can play when dealing with e-commerce, during an event held at the Codex Alimentarius Commission in Geneva on 11 July 2019.
Panellists discussed the challenges facing regulatory bodies and Codex as shopping online redirects the path our groceries take from farm to fork, offering consumers ever greater choice [...]
12 July 2019
Observer organizations gain prominence on Codex website
A dedicated section on the Codex website, now highlights activities of Observer organizations. In addition to front-page news articles and features, information on how to apply for observer status and details of all current Observers is available.
Currently, there are 229 Codex Observers – of which 57 are intergovernmental organizations, 156 nongovernmental organizations and 16 UN agencies.
Food safety is a shared responsibility
“Food safety is a shared responsibility, so it is important that governments can interact directly with producers, industry, consumers, [...]
06 May 2019