How Codex Elaborates Standards (Criteria for Standard setting, Working papers, WGs,

Step process, Country comments, Monitoring)

S Dave IC, FAO

How Codex Committees set the Standards..?

Draw up a list of priorities within their Terms of Reference

Consider the safety and quality elements to be covered

Consider the types and scope of products to be covered by standards

Prepare draft Codex standards (including guidelines and codes of

practice)

Report to each session of the Commission on the progress of their work

Review and revise standards and related texts periodically

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Regional Committees primarily:

• promote mutual exchange of information on proposed regulatory initiatives and problems arising from food control;

• promote the use of Codex standards in the region;

• monitor the use of adopted Codex texts; and

• exercise the general coordination in the preparation of standards related to the specific region or groups of countries

Regional Standards are set by following the same process as other Committees

What the Regional Committees do..?

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1st Step – Preparation of Project Document

Almost all new work undertaken by any subsidiary body requires, as a first step, the preparation of a project document by the Member. It forms -

• the basis for the Committee’s consideration of the proposed work;

• the basis upon which the Commission will make its decision as to whether or not to approve the new work;

• key to the Executive Committee’s critical review process as part of its standards management function.

Exceptions: • proposals for new work or revision of individual Maximum Residues Limits (MRLs) of pesticides and veterinary drugs;

• maintenance of General Standards on Food Additives (GSFA) and on Contaminants and Toxins in Foods & Feeds (GSCTFF);

• maintenance of Food Categorization System and International Numbering System.

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What should the Project Document contain..?

• purpose and the scope of the proposed standard;

• its relevance and timeliness;

• the main aspects to be covered;

• an assessment against the Criteria for the establishment of work priorities;

• relevance to the Codex strategic objectives;

• information on the relation between the proposal and other existing Codex documents;

• identification of any requirement for and availability of expert scientific advice;

• identification of any need for technical input to the standard from external bodies; and

• the proposed time-line for completion of the work.

It is good to submit a draft Codex standard along with the Project Document 5

• Acceptance of the proposal by the relevant Codex Committee

• Critical Review by CCEXEC and recommendation to the Commission for acceptance

• Consideration of draft Codex Standard by the relevant Codex Committee through Step Process

• Endorsement, if any, by relevant Subject Matter Codex Committee

• Adoption of the Codex Standard by Commission

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Next Steps – The Approval Process

How CCEXEC does the Critical Review..?

• Strategic Plan 2014-2019; and

• Criteria for Establishment of Work Priorities

-- Criteria applicable for General Subjects (diversification of national legislations; potential impediment to trade;

scope; work done by another international body; amenability to

standardization; global magnitude of the problem)

-- Criteria applicable to Commodities (diversification of national legislations; potential impediment to trade;

work done by another international body; amenability to standardization;

global production & trade; international or regional market potential;

number and form of products requiring separate standards)

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CCEXEC may recommend revision or to abandon a Project Proposal

Recent Amendment in the Critical Review Procedure

Part 2. Critical Review Proposal to undertake New Work or to Revise a Standard

Para.1 (sixth bullet) - Information on the relation between the proposal and

other existing Codex documents as well as other ongoing Codex work;

Para.3 (after second bullet) - Advice on the need for coordination of work between

relevant Codex subsidiary bodies;

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Accelerated Procedure (5A)

• Step 1: CAC decides to elaborate standard at 5A; assigns work to the relevant Committee based on two-thirds majority. Proposal could also come from a Committee • Step 2: Secretariat arranges preparation of Proposed Draft Standard

• Step 3: Proposed draft standard circulated for comments

• Step 4: Consideration of comments by the Committee

• Step 5: Proposed Draft Standard subject to accelerated elaboration procedure is sent to Commission for adoption

In case of new scientific information; new technology; urgent health or trade issue; revision

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What are ‘bis’ and ‘Square Brackets’

• bis -- insertion of a new paragraph

• Square Brackets -- are placed around a phrase/sentence/paragraph in the event of disagreement over the language but other parts of the sentence/paragraph/document are acceptable

• The Committee designates a host country • Participation is open to all Members and Observers of the Commission • The TORs of the WG shall clearly state: -- the objective(s) to be achieved; -- the language(s) to be used; and -- the time by which the work is expected to be completed.

The CAC or a Codex Committee may establish a Working Group which:

• will work between sessions, either by electronic means or by physically meeting; • may work in-session to bring consensus

A Report of the WG is presented to the Committee through the Codex Secretariat (a Circular Letter or a CRD in case of an in-session WG).

Working Groups

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Monitoring of Standards Development

• CCEXEC responsibility as part of Critical Review

• Criteria applied by CCEXEC: -- Delays due to the need for scientific advice (encourage early consultation or recommend suspension until advice is available);

-- Scientific advice has been provided but standard has been under consideration for more than five years (urge the Committee to take action within a specified timeframe);

-- Item has been considered for several sessions without progress and there is no prospect of reaching consensus (propose suspension of work at a particular Step for a specified period or discontinuation of work; or recommend corrective action)

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Amendments to the rules of procedure:

• usually do not go through the Codex step procedure;

and

• do not require a project document

Proposed amendments are considered by CCGP and the recommendations go from the CCGP directly to the Commission

Amendments to the Codex Procedural Manual

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Working Papers

All Codex documents contain a unique

reference number

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Codex Documentation

7 kinds of documents in Codex --

• Codex Procedural Manual;

• ALINORMs;

• Committee working papers (CXs);

• Circular Letters (CLs);

• Conference Room Documents (CRDs);

• Information documents (INF); and

• Adopted texts

What are LIMS (Limited distribution documents) ..?

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ALINORM 06/29/9

indicates that the meeting was held in 2006

indicates the 29th CAC Session

is the sequential number

1. Working documents for Commission: (Example: Document for discussion in the 29th CAC Session held in 2006)

ALINORM 06/29/22

indicates that the meeting was held in 2006

indicates the 29th CAC Session

identifies the Labelling Committee

2. Committee Reports submitted to CAC:

(Example: CCFL Report for tabled at the 29th CAC Session held in 2006)

ALINORMS

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Example: A Working Document for the 38th Session of CCFH held in 2006

CX/FH 06/38/8 is the sequential number assigned to the document for discussion

Codex Committee on Food Hygiene

indicates that the meeting was held in 2006

indicates the 38th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene

Committee or Task Force Working Papers

Committee Working Paper

Example of how a Working Document is available on the ftp server

fh38_08e.pdf

fh38_08_add1e.pdf

main document in English

country comment in English

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A vehicle for communication from the Codex Secretariat to Codex members and observers (WGs, call for data, CRDs, Reports)

CL 2006/20-PR

indicates that the meeting was held in 2006

is the sequential number assigned to the document

stands for Circular Letter

means Pesticide Residues Committee

CIRCULAR LETTERS

Example: Twentieth Circular Letter for 2006 on a CCPR issue

Example of how a Circular Letter is available on the ftp server

cl12_01e.pdf

REP13_FLe.pdf

Circular Letter in English numbered consecutively for a year

Circular Letter in English numbered consecutively for Report of a Codex Committee (CCFL) 21

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CONFERENCE ROOM DOCUMENTS Conference Room Documents (CRDs) are circulated when a Codex meeting is in session, and are not circulated in advance.

• Are numbered consecutively for a Codex session and have no other reference • Are distributed when a member has not submitted comments at least 15 before the Codex session • Are prepared member-wise or agenda-wise • Are circulated as work done by an in-session WG or Drafting Group • Is circulated when prepared by a member to provide a formulation for consideration by the Session

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• Popularly known as INF documents.

• May be on budgetary / administrative / procedural matters

• Are updates on activities relevant to Codex work carried out by int’l organizations, e.g. OIE, WTO, IAEA, OIV, etc.

• Have CAC specific relevant sequential number

Information Documents

Example: INF document for distribution in the 36th CAC Session

CAC/36 INF/3

36th CAC Session sequential number

Example of how INF document is available on the ftp server

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Each adopted text has its own unique code/reference

Codex texts include:

• Standards, identified as CODEX STAN;

• Recommended Codes of Practice, identified as CAC/RCP; and

• Guidelines, identified as CAC/GL.

Once a text is adopted by the CAC, it is incorporated into the Codex Alimentarius.

Adopted Texts

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Examples

The three different types of Codex texts follows a similar identification structured as follows:

STANDARDS -

e.g. the Codex standard for named vegetable oils is identified as CODEX STAN 210–1999

RECOMMENDED CODES OF PRACTICE -

e.g. the Code of hygienic practice for aseptically processed and packaged low-acid foods is identified as CAC/RCP 40–1993

CODEX STAN N-YYYY

CAC/RCP N-YYYY

GUIDELINES -

e.g. the Codex general guideline on claims is identified as CAC/GL 1–1979 (Rev. 1–1991)

CAC/GL N-YYYY

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Thank you

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