In an introductory message to Codex Members and Observers, the new Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Steve Wearne, together with incoming Vice-Chairpersons Allan Azegele, Raj Rajasekar and Diego Varela, has promised the new team of officials will be impartial and deliver “an inclusive, transparent and resilient Codex respected throughout the world for its commitment to consensus-driven and science-based food standards”. The message also underlines the importance of the Codex Strategic Plan and the new team’s commitment to ensuring the Codex [...]

Allan Azegele from Kenya, Raj Rajasekar, New Zealand and Diego Varela, Chile have been elected to serve as the new Vice-Chairpersons of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, The second day of elections at the 44th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission once again highlighted how rapid take up of technological innovation – hastened by the conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic – has made Codex both more agile and more entertaining. Over 600 delegates online were able to watch on the big [...]

There are four candidates standing to be one of three new Vice-Chairpersons of the Codex Alimentarius Commission in elections which will take place by secret ballot in Geneva on Thursday 11 November 2021. The Codex membership agreed to proceed with elections even though the forty-fourth Commission is meeting virtually and a procedure has been put in place to ensure that Codex Members vote through an official physically present in their Geneva Mission or by appointing a proxy. About the candidates (pictured left [...]

Steve Wearne, Director, Global Affairs with the Food Standards Agency in the United Kingdom, has been elected to serve as the 20th Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission following historical in-person voting in Geneva during a virtual session of the 44th Commission. Past Officers of the Commission and Members of the Executive Committee (1963-2021) With 131 votes cast, Steve Wearne received 91 preferences with Vice-Chairpersons Purwiyatno Hariyadi, Indonesia and Mariam Eid, Lebanon receiving  22 and 16 votes respectively. “We have a lot of [...]

Mariam Eid, Lebanon; Purwiyatno Hariyadi, Indonesia and Steve Wearne, United Kingdom – the serving Vice-Chairpersons – have all put their names forward to be on the ballot paper for elections to be the next Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission which will take place by secret ballot in Geneva on Tuesday 9 November 2021. The Codex membership agreed to proceed with elections even though the forty-fourth Commission is meeting virtually and a procedure has been put in place to ensure that [...]

CAC44 kicks off on Monday 8 November 2021. While the session is mainly virtual, one agenda item, Elections, will have a physical element – voting will take place through an in-person secret ballot in Geneva. This year the incumbent Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons have all reached the end of their terms. “We must extend a huge thanks to our outgoing Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons” says Tom Heilandt, Codex Secretary. “With the COVID pandemic we had to suspend elections last year so they have [...]