Los miembros del Comité Ejecutivo de la Comisión del Codex Alimentarius celebraron una reunión informal el pasado 2 de abril de 2020 mediante videoconferencia en línea. Los debates se centraron en las reuniones de los órganos auxiliares que se han cancelado o pospuesto y en cómo mantener el ritmo del trabajo de elaboración de normas que ya está en marcha. El Sr. Guilherme da Costa (Brasil), Presidente de la Comisión del Codex Alimentarius, declaró: “Se trata de una situación totalmente inesperada para nosotros, desde la [...]

The coronavirus outbreak has interrupted the schedule of physical meetings in Codex and led to a rethink of how countries within the Codex community, with its continuous cycle of committees and working groups, can stay connected when international meetings seem off the agenda for the time being. On Tuesday 21 April 48 participants from 18 countries in the Codex CCAFRICA region, together with representatives from the African Union – Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources, the Economic Community of West African States, [...]

COVID-19 and the related response from governments across the globe has led to the postponement or cancellation of numerous Codex subsidiary body meetings scheduled to be held in 2020. However, food safety remains an important issue and the Codex Secretariat is working together with Host Secretariats, Chairs of Committees and Chairs/Vice-Chairs of Electronic Working Groups (EWGs) to ensure that the standards development work can continue even if the committees cannot meet this year. Tom Heilandt, Codex Secretary confirmed that electronic working groups [...]

The host secretariat of the Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (CCRVDF) has confirmed that the upcoming session, due to be held in San Diego, USA from 25-29 May 2020 has been postponed due to the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19. In collaboration with the Codex Secretariat, discussions are underway to explore if the meeting could be rescheduled for early 2021 at the same location. Further details on new dates and on the work of the committee will be published [...]

La Secretaría del Codex ha anunciado que, de común acuerdo con las respectivas secretarías de los países anfitriones del Comité sobre Contaminantes de los Alimentos (CCCF), el Comité sobre Sistemas de Inspección y Certificación de Importaciones y Exportaciones de Alimentos (CCFICS) y el Comité sobre Métodos de Análisis y Toma de Muestras (CCMAS), ha decidido cancelar sus reuniones debido al brote del COVID-19 en curso. “Dada la creciente gravedad de la situación, teníamos que proporcionar información clara a quienes se están [...]

En las reuniones del Codex participan expertos de todo el mundo y el calendario para 2020 comprende 15 comités programados en múltiples lugares en cinco continentes. En las orientaciones internas de la FAO para el personal, incluida la Secretaría del Codex, emitidas a raíz del brote del COVID-19 se establece que los viajes se limitarán a “misiones fundamentales y viajes esenciales en los que el tiempo apremia”. Esto significa, por ejemplo, que el taller previsto en Francia del 27 al 29 [...]

Madagascar is continuing its efforts to build the capacity of its members with the support of the Codex Trust Fund. A four-day training workshop in Antananarivo from 24-27 February 2020 set out to integrate new members and provide a refresher for more experienced members. The workshop also dealt with the redefinition of priority committees for Madagascar, the formulation of national positions, preparation for sessions as well as the use of online Codex tools. After this training, Madagascar will further improve [...]

Over 1 000 food safety stakeholders from around the world gathered in Seattle, USA this week for the 2020 Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Conference, which also marked the 20th anniversary for the GFSI. Action is more urgent than ever. Addressing the conference, Peter Freedman, Managing Director of the Consumer Goods Forum said 2020 marked a moment of change in governance and strategy for GFSI. “Action is more urgent than ever”, he said, citing the climate advocate Greta Thunberg. “Our agenda remains [...]

To strengthen Cambodia’s capacity for better and more effective participation in Codex work, FAO in collaboration with the General Directorate of CAMCONTROL, Ministry of Commerce organized a training workshop from 18- 20 February 2020. The training is part of a wider five year programme sponsored by Japan which supports capacity building for international food safety standard development and implementation for ASEAN countries.  A total of 40 officials from various sectors including government officials from CAMCONTROL, (the national Codex Contact Point), relevant ministries, [...]

Pesticides are potentially toxic to humans and especially for those who work or come into close contact with them. Yet pesticides also play a key role in food production; protecting or increasing yields and the number of times per year a crop can be grown on the same land. This is particularly important in countries that face food shortages. FAO and WHO are responsible for assessing the risks to humans of pesticides – both through direct exposure, and through residues in [...]