The SPS Agreement & International Standards Codex standard - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The SPS Agreement & International Standards Codex standard setting procedures Current activities of International Standard setting at Inception Workshop: Principles & further activities for Codex implementation (17-19 September 2012, Bangkok, Thailand) under Project:Support to Capacity Building & Implementation of International Food Safety Standards in ASEAN Countries (GCP/RAS/280/JPN) Ms. Shashi Sareen Senior Food Safety & Nutrition Officer FAO Regional Office for the Asia & the Pacific E-mail: shashi.sareen@fao.org

Outline • SPS Agreement and link to Codex • Codex standard setting procedures • Current activities of International Standard setting • Current activities of FAO projects in the region in relation to Codex

Objectives of the SPS Agreement • To protect & improve the current human health, animal health & phytosanitary situation of all Member countries • To protect Members from arbitrary or unjustifiable discrimination due to different sanitary & phytosanitary standards • To maintain the sovereign right of any Government to provide an appropriate level of protection ie allow countries to set their own standards for health & safety

SPS Art le 3 Harmonization rtic icle • Encourage use of international standards Food safety & Animal health Plant health Animal health & zoonoses Codex dex OI OIE IP IPPC • SPS permits higher standards based on risk assessment

Codex Alimentarius Comission • An Intergovernmental body • Founded in 1962 to implement the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme • Programme Objectives  protect the health of consumers  ensure fair practices in international food trade  coordinate all food standardization work at the international level • Membership - 184 countries + 1 member org (EC) – representing 99% of world population • Observers: 208 international organizations:- 48 IGOs, 144 NGOs, 16 UN (representing scientific, industry, trade, consumers)

Codex Documentation • Standards – relate to product characteristics • Codes of Practice – hygiene codes (define practices) • Guidelines – 2 categories  Principles that set out policies in certain key areas  Guidelines for interpretation of these principles

Codex Documents(Standards/ Guidelines/ Recommendations) • Food safety & hygiene • Nutrition • Labelling • Import & export inspection & certification • Quality of foodstuffs

Codex Documentation breakup • Commodity standards – 186 • Commodity related texts – 46 • Food labeling – 9 • Food Hygiene – 5 • Food safety risk assessments – 3 • Sampling and analysis – 15 • Inspection and Certification procedures – 8 • Animal food production – 6 • Contaminants in foods (max levels, detection & prevention) – 12 • Max limit for pesticide residues – 2930; covering 218 pesticides • Limits of veterinary drug residues – 441, covering 49 vet drugs • Food additives provisions – 1112, covering 292 food additives • Food additives related texts – 7 • Regional Guidelines - 3

Codex General Subject Committee • General Principles – France • Food Hygiene – USA • Contaminants in food – Netherlands • Food Additives – China • Pesticide Residues – China • Residue of Vet Drugs in Food – USA • Food Labeling – Canada • Methods of Analysis & Sampling – Hungary • Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems – Australia • Nutrition and Food for Special Dietary Use - Germany

Codex Commodity Committees • Commodity Committees that meet regularly: – Fats And Oils – United Kingdom – Fish And Fishery Products - Norway – Fresh Fruits And Vegetables - Mexico – Milk And Milk Product – New Zealand – Processed Fruits and Vegetables - USA • Commodity Committees that meet through correspondence or are in recess : – Cereal, Pulses and Legumes - USA – Natural Mineral Water - Switzerland – Meat Hygiene – Sugars - United Kingdom – Cocoa Products And Chocolates - Switzerland – Vegetable Proteins - Canada

Standards Setting Procedure • Step Procedure  Total 8 steps are involved in the final adoption of standard, guideline or other text.  Sometimes text is considered to be ready for final adoption at Step 5 – often called Step 5/8. • Principles of Codex Elaboration Procedure  Inclusiveness - Step by step, by consensus. Every member is included. Every members concerns are considered before taking a decision.  Transparency - Open discussion & communication, free to all interested.

Elaboration procedures (8-step normal)  Secretariat arranges  Commission decides to elaborate a preparation of proposed draft standard & assigns work to a Step 1 Step 2 standard committee  Draft standard is Step 8 Step 3 submitted through  Proposed draft standard sent to commission for adoption governments & Int orgs for as a Codex Standard comments  Secretariat forwards Step 7 Step 4  Secretariat forwards comments to committee comments to committee  Proposed draft standard is send Step 6 Step 5  Draft standard send to to commission for adoption as a government & international draft standard organization for comments

Some latest Approaches (Policy) in Codex • Scientific basis (Measures conform to international standards or based on risk assessment) • Food chain approach • Risk-based approach • Preventative systems approach • Effective food control systems

Science-based documents/ decisions • Scientific advise through scientific expert bodies  Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA)  Joint FAO/WHO Meetings on Pesticide Residues (JMPR)  Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meetings on Microbiological Risk Assessment (JEMRA)  Joint FAO/WHO Meeting on Pesticide Specifications (JMPS)  Joint FAO/WHO Committee on Nutrition (JECN)

Current Areas of Focus in CAC • Some priority areas include:  MRLs for bovine somatotropin in cattle tissues  Draft MRLs for Ractopamine  Proposed draft guidelines on the approval of General Principles of Food Hygiene to the control of viruses in food  Principles & GL for National Food Control Systems – draft discussed at 18 th Session of CCFICS held in March 2010  Proposal for establishment of a Committee on spices, aromatic herbs and their formulations • Other issues  Traceability - Definition (adopted in 2004 at 27 th CAC) and Principles (adopted in 2006 at 29 th CAC) – food recall  Risk analysis  Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)  New Technologies of Production Systems: Nanotechnologies

Other Issues

CAC Strategic Plan 2008-2013 : Strategic Goals • Promoting sound regulatory frameworks • Promoting widest and consistent application of scientific principles and risk analysis • Strengthening Codex work management capabilities • Promoting cooperation between Codex & relevant international organizations • Promoting maximum and effective participation of members

CAC Strategic Plan 2014-2019: • Presents the vision , goals , objectives for the CAC & is supported by a more detailed work plan that includes activities, milestones, & measurable indicators to track progress toward accomplishment of the goals. • Underpins the high priority placed on food safety & quality by FAO/ WHO & ensures that CAC will carry out responsibilities given to it by FAO/ WHO. • Informs Members, inter-governmental & international non-governmental organizations, & other stakeholders of how CAC intends to fulfill its mandate to meet the needs & expectations of its Members during the period 2014-2019.

Draft Codex Strategic plan 2014-2019 • Vision: The CAC should be the pre-eminent international food standards – setting body to protect the health of the consumers & ensure fair practices in the food trade • Core values - In fulfilling its strategic vision, Codex adheres to core values that include, but are not limited to:  collaboration  inclusiveness  consensus building  transparency • Strategic goals: 4 • Work Plan - objectives, activities, responsible parties, time lines, expected milestones, measurable indicators/ outputs • Finalize mid March 2013

Strategic Goal 1 : Establish international food standards that address current & emerging food issues . • Objective 1.1 : Establish new & review existing food standards, based on priorities of the CAC • Objective 1.2 : Proactively identify emerging issues & member country needs &, where appropriate, develop relevant food standards. • Objective 1.3 : Strengthen coordination & cooperation with other international standards- setting organizations seeking to avoid duplication of efforts & optimize opportunities.

Strategic goal 2: Ensure the application of risk analysis principles in the development of Codex standards • Objective 2.1 : Ensure consistent use of scientific advice and risk analysis principles. • Objective 2.2 : Achieve sustainable access to scientific advice • Objective 2.3 : Increase scientific input from developing countries

Strategic goal 3 Facilitate the effective participation of all Codex members • Objective 3.1 : Increase the effective participation of developing countries in Codex. • Objective 3.2 : Promote capacity development programs that assist countries in creating sustainable national Codex structures.