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Tuesday 14 October 2008

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Codex

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The Codex Alimentarius is a series of food standards and related texts that aim to provide a high level of consumer protection and fair practice in the international trade of food and agricultural products.

The organisation charged with the development of the Codex standards and related texts is the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), which is an intergovernmental body jointly sponsored by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). Membership is open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of FAO/WHO, and currently comprises of over 160 countries. International non-governmental organisations, such as consumer, academic or industry bodies, may attend Codex meetings as observers.

The Food Standards Agency represents the UK at Codex. To contact us on Codex issues email: codex_fsa@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk Or at the Codex enquiry point Tel: 020 7276 8164.

Further information on Codex can be obtained from the Codex website attached below. This website includes background information, past reports, agendas, papers and dates of future meetings.

How does it work?

• The detailed work of Codex Alimentarius Commission on drafting standards, codes of practice and other guidance is handled by about thirty Committees which fall into three general categories: commodity committees (covering a particular commodity; e.g. Milk and Milk Products); horizontal committees (dealing with issues applicable across a range of commodities e.g. labelling, food additives and contaminants); and regional committees (one for each of the seven Codex regions e.g. Europe).
• Codex standards are developed through a formal procedure, consisting of eight stages or "steps" which rely on consensus for their agreement. If consensus cannot be achieved, then it is possible for a vote to be called, but this is avoided if possible (Member countries can vote; observer organisations have no vote). Agreed standards are voluntary, implementation by member countries is not necessarily automatic.

Why is Codex important?

• Food standards are becoming more important as international trade in food opens up and consumers are more concerned about safety and quality. Standards must provide a high level of consumer protection and not unnecessarily restrict trade. Codex is recognised in the relevant World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements as the international body able to provide these guarantees. In the event of a trade dispute Codex standards would become accepted reference documents for its settlement. This underlines the increasing importance of Codex in international law.

Can I influence Codex?

• The UK adopted a consultation structure for Codex in 1992 when the National Codex Consultative Committee (NCCC) was formed. This committee is representative of consumer, enforcement, and industry bodies, but is open to all stakeholders. The NCCC is invited to consider issues and papers that are to be placed before the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its subordinate committees and to become involved in the standard setting process via the UK government.

The Food Standards Agency runs the NCCC. Members of the NCCC and relevant interested parties are invited by the FSA Codex Contact Point (see list below) for the particular Codex Committee to meet prior meetings of the CAC and its sub-committees, to discuss the Codex papers that have been circulated. Written comments are also invited. This ensures that the views of all interest groups are taken into account when preparing the UK line on Codex matter. It is not possible to programme these meetings too far in advance, as meeting dates can change and the EU programme is not known more than six months in advance.

Do Consumers have a voice?

• Consumers are stakeholders and members of the NCCC. The UK experience of overall consultation in this way has been very positive. But it is also clear that stakeholders are unequal in knowledge and resources and consumers are most disadvantaged in access to resources. This means it is often difficult to obtain a consumer viewpoint on issues. Limited resources mean consumer groups are often unable to give Codex papers as high a priority as they would wish due to concerns for more immediate UK or EU matters. Their participation in the consultation process is limited further because Codex documents are of a very technical and complex nature and are difficult for the non-expert to comprehend.
• The FSA has taken a number of steps to improve consumer access to Codex. An additional resource to consumers was created when the FSA established a Codex Consumer Group (CCG). This group is made up of the major consumer groups with expertise in Codex. It is charged with reviewing the Codex work programme to prioritise and identify issues of greatest concern to consumers. The FSA has then provided the means for an independent expert analysis of these issues for consumers and an in-depth consultation to ensure a clear consumer voice in the UK Government's dealing with Codex. The UK continues to press Codex for improvements to encourage increased input from Consumer Organisations across the work of Codex Alimentarius.

European Union Membership of Codex

• The European Commission has been negotiating community membership of Codex for some years, and this has now been achieved. The basis in Community law was established and the necessary rule changes in Codex have been made. The Commission wrote to the Director-General of the UN/FAO in November 2003 to formally complete the accession process. This means that the European Commission has relinquished its observer status in Codex and now represents all EU countries on matters of EU competence.

At meetings of the CAC and its subsidiary committees this will mean that

• The Commission will speak and vote in Codex on behalf of the Community on all issues of exclusive Community competence.
• The Commission will also speak and vote on behalf of the Community on all issues of mixed competence where the preponderance of the competence lays with the Community. The UK and other EU Member States are still able to contribute to the debate in Codex matters of Community and mixed competence to support and develop the Community line.
• The UK and other EU Member States would also be able to speak and vote on issues within areas of exclusive Member State competence.
• The UK and other EU Member States would be able to speak and vote on issues of mixed competence when the preponderance of the competence lies with the Member States.

Codex contact points in the FSA

• The Food Standards Agency acts as the national contact point for the UK in Codex. Much of the work of Codex is specialised and is therefore delegated to members of staff in FSA with the appropriate expertise. These internal Codex Committee Contact points take responsibility for specific Codex Committees and:
• Distribute all Codex papers relating to their committee/s to NCCC members, interested parties etc.
• Organise consultation on these issues to feed into the UK position on Codex.
• Respond to Codex on standards and other texts in the step procedure
• Represent the UK at the Codex Committee meeting
• Acting as the secretariat for the Codex Committees which the UK hosts - Codex Committee on Fats and Oils and Codex Committee on Sugars

List of UK Codex Committee contact points and the Committees for which they are responsible

UK codex committee contact points
Janet McKenzie
Food Labelling
Tel: 0207 276 8172
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: janet.mckenzie@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Derek Hampson
Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses
Tel: 0207 276 8065
Fax: 020 7276 8376
Email: derek.hampson@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Kate Todd
Codex Alimentarius Commission

• Executive Committee
• General Principles
• Europe and other Regional Coordinating Committees

Tel: 020 7276 8634
Fax: 020 7276 8376
Email: kate.todd@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Chandra Ambigaipagan

• Natural Mineral Waters
• Fats and Oils
• Milk and Milk Products

Tel: 0207 276 8166
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: chandra.ambigaipagan@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
 
Pendi Najran

• Fish and Fishery Products
• Cereals Pulses and Legumes
• Soups and Broths

Tel: 0207 276 8157
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: pendi.najran@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
 
Dr Michelle McQuillan

• Cocoa Products and Chocolate
• Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
• Processed Fruit and Vegetables
• Vegetable Proteins
• Cereals Pulses and Legumes
• Sugars
• Quick Frozen Foods
• Joint UNECE/Codex Group of Experts on Fruit Juices

Tel: 0207 276 8159
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: michelle.mcquillan@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Clifford Gedling
Food Additives
Tel: 0207 276 8570
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: clifford.gedling@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Barry Walters
Contaminants
Tel: 0207 276 8747
Fax: 0207 276 8717
Email: barry.walters@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Joanna Fullick
Meat Hygiene
Tel: 0207 276 8304
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: joanna.fullick@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Dr Roger Wood
Methods of Analysis and Sampling
Tel: 01603 255231
Fax: 01603 507723
Email: roger.wood@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Raj Pal
Task Force on Animal Feed
Tel: 0207 276 8083
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: raj.pal@foodstandards.gsi.go.uk

Sandy Lawrie
Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Biotechnology
Tel: 0207 276 8566
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: sandy.lawrie@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Donatella Howe
Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Fruit and Vegetable Juices
Tel: 0207 276 8153
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: donatella.howe@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Kevin Woodfine
Food Hygiene
Tel: 0207 276 8964
Fax: 0207 276 8376
Email: kevin.woodfine@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Eugenia Shevlin
Pesticide Residues
Tel 0207 276 8586
Fax 0207 276 8376
Email: eugenia.shevlin@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Janet Rubidge
Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Food
Veterinary Medicines Directorate
Woodham Lane
New Haw Addlestone
Surrey KT15 3LS
Tel: 01932 338323
Email: codex@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk

Colin Houston
Food import/export inspection and certification system
Tel 0207 276 8440
Fax 0207 276 8376
Email: colin.houston@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Jenny Lyn
Natural Mineral Waters
Tel 0207 276 8158
Fax 0207 276 8376
Email: jenny.lyn@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

Paul Cook
Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Anti Microbial Resistance
Tel 0207 276 8950
Fax 0207 276 8376
Email: paul.cook@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

External links   The Food Standards Agency has no responsibility for the content of external websites

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