The Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Guilherme da Costa, Brazil, has written to FAO suggesting the cancellation of the 43rd Codex Alimentarius Commission session planned for July 2020 in Rome and to explore the opportunity to hold an online Executive Committee session to ensure that standard setting work can continue. In the communication, Da Costa expresses his concern that expert delegations will not be able to gather in Rome for the Commission not only due to global travel restrictions currently [...]

Grâce à la technologie de visioconférence, les membres du Comité exécutif du Codex ont organisé une réunion informelle en ligne le 2 avril 2020. Les débats ont porté sur l’annulation ou le report des réunions des organes subsidiaires et sur la manière de poursuivre au même rythme les activités d’établissement de normes déjà en cours. Le Président de la Commission du Codex Alimentarius, M. Guilherme da Costa (Brésil), a déclaré: «Dans notre domaine d’activité, nous constatons qu’il s’agit d’une situation complètement imprévue [...]

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 [...]

Le Secrétariat du Codex, en accord avec les secrétariats hôtes respectifs du Comité sur les contaminants dans les aliments, du Comité sur les systèmes d’inspection et de certification des importations et des exportations alimentaires et du Comité sur les méthodes d’analyse et d’échantillonnage, a annoncé que les sessions de ces comités étaient annulées en raison de la flambée actuelle de covid‑19. «Compte tenu de l’évolution de la situation, qui est de plus en plus critique, il fallait donner des certitudes à [...]

Madagascar poursuit ses efforts dans le cadre du renforcement de capacités de ses membres avec l'appui du Fonds fiduciaire du Codex 2. Un atelier de formation de quatre jours à Antananarivo du 24 au 27 février 2020 vise à intégrer de nouveaux membres et rafraîchir les connaissances des anciens membres. Il y sera également traité la redéfinition des comités prioritaires pour Madagascar, la formulation des positions nationales, la préparation aux sessions ainsi que l'utilisation des outils en ligne du Codex. A [...]

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 [...]