The 34th session of the Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) has started in Lille, France. The first of the opening remarks were delivered remotely by Annie Genevard, Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, who noted that this session marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of CCGP and of France’s chairmanship of the Committee: “Sixty years of expertise, dialogue, and methodological rigour serving a common ambition across the Codex Alimentarius: protecting consumer health and ensuring fair practices in the international food trade,” she said. She commented that this anniversary also brings with it the responsibility of ensuring that Codex is equipped to adapt to the challenges of the next 60 years: “The international context is undergoing profound changes,” she said. “Food systems are evolving, the effects of climate change are being felt and new health risks are emerging, requiring continuous adaptation of our approaches.”

Véronique Louwagie, Minister Delegate for Trade, Crafts, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and the Social and Solidarity Economy, delivered her speech in a video message, and echoed the sentiments of the Minister of Agriculture. “In a world where supply chains are increasingly complex and interconnected, ensuring the safety and integrity of food and products is a constant challenge,” she remarked, continuing: “Every day, millions of consumers place their trust in the regulatory systems and standards that govern their food.” She went on to say that, given this, Codex is more than just a standards-setting body, adding that “it embodies a shared vision of economic equity and sustainable development.”

The Director-General of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Emmanuelle Soubeyran, also delivered an opening speech, in which she highlighted the importance of the relationship between Codex and WOAH, and the complementarity of their work. “Together, with Codex and the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), our standards – whether they concern food, animal health, or plant health – share the same scientific rigour, institutional legitimacy, as recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO), and a common purpose: to protect health and ensure fair trade,” she said. And the importance of the work of these “three sisters” was also underlined by Sarah Cahill, Secretary to the Codex Alimentarius Commission in her speech, when she said, “While each has a unique field of expertise, there are times when the three sisters’ work converges, making communication and alignment of approaches essential.” She pointed out that the new Codex Strategic Plan (2026–2031) includes a goal to strengthen relationships with relevant organizations. Cahill also highlighted that the work of CCGP is very different from that of other Codex committees and applies to all of them “updating Codex procedures is distinct from the standards-setting work undertaken by other Codex subsidiary bodies,” she said. “Procedures are about finding the right balance between rules, to ensure consistency in our approach, and flexibility, to facilitate work efficiency.”

The Chairperson to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, Allan Azegele, reminded delegates that World Food Safety Day is on the horizon: “As you know, June is the month in which we mark World Food Safety Day,” he said, “and this year’s theme “Food Safety: Science in Action” could not be more relevant to the work of Codex and to the agenda before us today. … Science is indeed at the heart of Codex. It guides our standards, informs our procedures, and underpins the trust that countries and consumers place in our work.”

On behalf of FAO, Catherine Bessy, Senior Food Safety Officer, said “FAO is not only host to the Codex Alimentarius Secretariat, but also places the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission at the heart of its standards-setting and food safety capacity-building programme.” She emphasized the importance of “the development of risk analysis texts, considering them to be a major cornerstone in building the foundations of global food safety and in establishing relevant, effective, and constantly evolving national food control systems.”  For WHO, Moez Sanaa, Head of Unit, took the opportunity of his speech to remind delegates of the importance of the Codex Trust Fund. “This programme remains an essential lever for enabling developing countries to actively participate in the work of the Codex,” he said.

Read more

CCGP34 webpage

Photo © FAO/Giuseppe Di Chiera