The 18th session of the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF) has opened in Bangkok, Thailand, where the Committee’s host, the Kingdom of the Netherlands will co-host proceedings with Thailand.

Anongnat Chakaew, Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, opened the meeting and expressed pride that Thailand is co-hosting “this significant meeting in collaboration with the Kingdom of the Netherlands.” Outlining the long history shared by the countries, she continued: “Co-hosting this meeting is another important step that reaffirms our mutual commitment to strengthening food safety and reflects the deep and lasting partnership between our nations.” Anongnat Chakaew underlined the importance of the work of the contaminants committee and its significance for the health of consumers and for fair practices in trade. “I sincerely hope,” she said, “that this session will yield concrete outcomes—through the development of effective policy measures, the establishment of strong international standards, and the enhancement of international collaboration—to help shape a food system that is safe, secure, and sustainable. As co-host, Thailand reaffirms its readiness to provide full support and facilitation throughout the meeting to ensure its smooth operation and the achievement of its objectives.”

Speaking on behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Deputy Ambassador to Thailand, Miriam Otto, then echoed the speech of the Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, expanding on the relationship between the countries. “We cooperate on themes such as nature-inclusive farming, sustainable food production in and around urban regions with use of high-tech and protection of biodiversity,” she said, continuing that the countries “share knowledge and technology, best practices and innovations in agriculture, and on food safety.” She also reminded delegates of the importance of Codex work: “Codex meetings underscore the essential role of international cooperation in setting and harmonizing food safety standards. It is an opportunity for us in this room today to make real progress toward a safer global food production and supply.”

Betül Vazgeçer, Vice-Chairperson of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, also spoke on the importance of Codex work: “it is essential to recognize that the Codex Alimentarius plays a pivotal role for harmonizing food standards, protecting consumer health and facilitating fair practices in food trade,” she reminded delegates, and focusing on the CCCF, she said “The General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed, first adopted in 1995 and most recently updated in 2024, is the very backbone of our work.” Thanking both Thailand and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, she concluded “The decisions we make here will echo far beyond this room. Together, we are helping build a safer, healthier, and more fair global food system.”

The WHO Representative to Thailand, Jos Vandelaer, speaking on behalf of the WHO Regional Director for the South East Asia Region, then highlighted the relevance of this year’s World Food Safety Day theme, Food safety: science in action, to the work of Codex. Codex standards are, he said “science based and therefore, universally acceptable”. It also plays a key role in access to safe nutritious food, which is “essential for sustaining life and promoting good health”. He underlined WHO’s commitment to addressing the “public health threats arising from unsafe food.” He outlined some key actions that should be prioritized to ensure “that all have access to safe, nutritious and healthy food”.

Robert Simpson, Deputy Regional Representative of the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, on behalf of the Regional Representative, emphasized the importance and size of the Asia and Pacific region in geography and population, and the importance of agriculture and food production to the region. He then pointed out that the region also faces many challenges associated with inadequate access to safe and nutritious food. One way in which countries of the region address these challenges is to use Codex texts as a foundation for their food safety legislation.

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CCCF18 webpage