In opening remarks to the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues, taking place virtually for the first time, from 26 July to 3 August 2021, Zhang Taolin, Vice Minister, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, P.R. China, welcomed participants recalling how CCPR has developed the largest number of standards among all Codex committees. The committee “not only has a significant influence on the development of national pesticide residues standards, but also plays an increasingly important role in strengthening exchanges and cooperation [...]

Fran Freeman, Chairperson CCFICS Australia hosted the first virtual session of the 25th Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS25) from 31 May to 08 June 2021. The work of CCFICS is crucial, particularly as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, in assisting global efforts to modernize food safety systems and deliver guidance that can influence regulatory standards related to food import and export inspection and certification systems. Virtual meetings can bring their own challenges – time zones never work for everyone! Although the [...]

The 25th session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS) being held virtually from 31 May 2021 to 8 June, began with a welcome in the Ngunnawal language to Ngunnawal country the land where Canberra is located. “We acknowledge and pay our respects to the elders,” said Lyn O’Connell, Deputy Secretary in the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water & The Environment further acknowledging all traditional owners on the land from which CCFICS delegates [...]

The Codex Committee on Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) begins its first virtual session on 17 May 2021. This committee provides the A to Z of international methods for the verification of 100s of provisions in Codex standards developed by commodity committees, from acidity in fats and oils to zinc in vinegar. Codex Procedural Manual Principles for the Establishment of Codex Methods of Analysis Codex Standard 234 Recommended Methods of Analysis and Sampling This committee also serves as a coordinating body for Codex with [...]

The first ever virtual session of a Codex commodity committee saw record participation with more than 60 countries taking part over the six days from 20 to 29 April 2021. The Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) will be sending four draft standards, oregano, ginger, cloves and basil, for final adoption by the Commission. The committee is hosted by India. Chairperson Dr.M.R.Sudharshan explained the importance of adopting these standards. “It means a lot to the producing countries, particularly from [...]

The Codex informal webinar series continues on 23 April 2021 as experts leading work on the main agenda items at the Codex committee on veterinary drugs in food meet online to discuss how work has progressed since the last session held in 2018 in Chicago. The webinar series in general has been an opportunity to bring the Codex comunity up to speed on a range of technical topics moving through the standard development process.   The residues of veterinary drugs in food [...]

This year is going to be a big challenge for the Codex system as the technical committees that were suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic prepare to operate for the first time virtually. Experiences with the smaller Executive Committee and the success of the 43rd Commission have shown that both small and large groups can be brought together on line, but how easy will it be, operating virtually, to iron out more complex, technical differences on pesticides, contaminants or [...]

The “Brexit” agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union reached on 24 December 2020 was described by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as a “fair and balanced” deal. The treaty is expected to receive the support of all 27 member states and will be “provisionally applied” at the end of the year. Chapter 3 of the agreement describes collaboration on sanitary and phytosanitary measures with the objective of “enhanced cooperation” in international organizations including the Codex Alimentarius. [...]

With three sessions of CAC43 already completed, ten standards and six new work proposals have been adopted by the Commission, meeting for the first time ever virtually. Over 120 Members and more than 50 Observer organizations have participated so far and the next plenary session will be on Monday 12 October, 12:00 CET. Listed below are the standards, guidelines and codes of practice that will be adopted into the Codex Alimentarius and the proposals for new work that have been approved. As [...]

今天，食品法典秘书长Tom Heilandt确认，食品法典委员会将在2020年举行其首次虚拟会议。第43届食典委大会原定于7月在罗马举行，现决定将在网络空间举行，同时保持食典的包容性和透明度。 一百三十六位食典成员在8月23日（中欧时间）截止日期之前，以超过召开虚拟会议所需三分之二多数的票数，赞同召开虚拟会议。Heilandt 说：“这是一个了不起的结果，我要感谢所有迅速回复我们提议召开食典委大会虚拟会议信函的食典成员，特别是许多国家仍在与新冠病毒（COVID-19）疫情进行抗争的同时，而且在世界许多地方目前仍在假期中。这清楚地表明了食典成员对推进标准的重要性，这些标准可确保尤其是在大流行期间食品贸易中的食品安全和公平做法。”虽然仅要求成员表态赞同召开CAC43虚拟会议，但食典秘书处还收到了来自观察员针对虚拟会议的大量支持信函。 食品法典执行委员会的虚拟会议不久前刚刚圆满落幕，该委员会另外成立了一个小组委员会，以应对疫情期间食典面临的挑战和机遇。召开食典委虚拟会议是确保本期工作连续性的关键步骤。食典委将讨论标准和新工作建议的采纳，并做出其他决定，以确保工作能够继续推进，而不至于失去过多的动力。Heilandt说：“在食典委虚拟会议成功落实后，我们并不会就此停下脚步，我们将与粮农组织（FAO）、世卫组织（WHO）、各成员和观察员就系统和程序进行密切合作，使食典在应对任何阻止未来召开实体会议的危机时更具灵活性。” 食典委主席Guilherme da Costa对各成员通过赞同召开本届虚拟会议，所表现出对食典工作的承诺、信心、灵活性和支持表示感谢。Da Costa表示：“我对各成员会赞同这一提议充满信心。我们已经减少了本次虚拟会议的议程事项，将重点放在优先议题上。我和副主席将依靠所有成员和观察员一如既往的合作，以确保我们能够在可用的时间内完成这项工作。” 食典委虚拟会议将于9月24日、25日、26日和10月12日开会讨论议程，并于2020年10月19日开会通过报告。食典秘书处将于2020年9月11日为所有成员和观察员举办一场网络研讨会，以提供有关参加虚拟会议的进一步指导，使成员对此方法有更多的了解。有关网络研讨会的更多详细信息将在9月初发布。   了解更多CAC43网页