CODEX ADOPTS NEW FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS
The annual meeting of the Codex Alimentarius Commission — the UN body charged with setting international standards related to food safety — took place for the thirtieth time from 2-7 July in Rome, Italy. Delegates adopted 44 new and amended food standards, agreeing, among other things, to undertake new work to develop guidance on safety assessment in situations of accidental presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). They also approved draft risk analysis principles on pesticide residues and draft principles to guide government policy on risk analysis for food safety.
The Commission further adopted a strategic plan for 2008-2013, which states the goals of the Commission’s work, incorporating a list of programme areas and planned activities with a timetable.
Countries to develop guidance on safety assessment for trace-level GM material
The Codex Alimentarius Commission agreed to undertake new work on developing guidance on safety assessment in situations of accidental presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). This work was initially proposed by the US, and agreed at a meeting of the Codex Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology in late 2006 (see Bridges Trade BioRes, 15 December 2006, http://www.ictsd.org/biores/06-12-15/story2.htm). Members will now develop an annex to the "Guideline for the Conduct of Food Safety Assessment of Foods Derived From Recombinant-DNA Plants" focusing on low-level presence of recombinant-DNA plant material.
The goal of the project is to develop recommendations on safety assessments of foods derived from GM plants in cases where those plants have already been authorised in one or more countries for commercialisation for food use, but are unintentionally present in low levels in food in countries in which the GM plants are not authorised. The annex is intended to help countries determine the safety of a GMO in such a situation, or be prepared should such a situation arise.
The annex will address the elements of a safety assessment for low-level presence of GMOs in food by identifying the relevant sections of the existing guideline on GM plant foods. It will also identify information-sharing mechanisms to facilitate utilisation of the annex and the data necessary to conduct an assessment of food safety by an importing country. The annex will not replace a full food safety assessment under the guideline for any GM plant foods that would be marketed in a country.
The EC stressed that the proposed annex should be developed in parallel with a mechanism for data-sharing and information-exchange to support the actions of food control authorities in situations of low-level presence of unauthorised GMOs. A representative of the FAO provided information on work that the Codex Alimentarius Commission is doing to establish a database within FAO as part of the International Portal on Food Safety, Animal and Plant Health to fulfil this need.
Pesticide residue standards stir controversy
Members came to the Codex Alimentarius Commission meeting with different opinions on risk assessment procedures with regard to pesticide residues.
They did, in the end, adopt Draft Risk Analysis Principles Applied by the Committee on Pesticide Residues, with the understanding that the matter could be further considered when the Committee on General Principles reviewed all relevant texts on risk analysis policies applied by Codex Committees as a whole, in order to ensure consistency throughout Codex.
Argentina expressed disagreement regarding the procedures for the periodic review and criteria for deletion of the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticide residues in food and feed. The draft text says that those Codex MRLs under the periodic review "shall be distributed to members and interested organisations for comments" and old compounds, which are no longer supported/produced by industry because of the introduction of new pesticides every year, can be deleted. Argentina was of the view that these procedures were not fully based on science and did not take sufficiently into consideration the concerns and situations of developing countries. Supported by several delegations, such as Brazil, Colombia, and India, Argentina proposed returning the document for further consideration to the Committee on Pesticide Residues. Some delegations also pointed out that the revocation of MRLs should be based on relevant scientific risk assessment and not on commercial considerations, especially as Codex standards are recognised by the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS).
At a meeting of the SPS Committee on from 27-28 June, Argentina introduced a paper criticising the standards for pesticide residues set by importing countries (see Bridges Trade BioRes, 6 July 2007, http://www.ictsd.org/biores/07-07-06/story4.htm). Backed by a number of developing countries, Argentina said that Members are setting standards stricter than those agreed at Codex, or setting standards not yet covered by Codex. Argentina called for the development of more Codex standards in this area, noting as an example that only 30 percent of pesticides used in Argentina were covered by international standards. The paper further called for scientific justification for the strict standards being imposed, stressing that developing countries lack the resources to prove the contrary.
Government policy on risk analysis for food safety to be based on new principles
The fruit of long-standing work in the Codex Alimentarius Committee on General Principles (CCGP) (see Bridges Trade BioRes, 28 April 2006, http:www.ictsd.org/biores/06-04-28/story2.htm), the "Working Principles for Risk Analysis for Food Safety for Application by Governments" were adopted as draft principles by the Commission. These principles will provide guidance to national governments on risk assessment, risk management and risk communication with regard to food-related risks to human health.
"Because governments often adopt Codex Standards into their national legislation and sometimes even see the need for additional measures in areas not covered by Codex guidance, it is important that the extra safety measures are taken using the same rigorous and internationally recognised principles, not only to protect consumers, but to ensure they are consistent with multilateral trade rules" commented Kazuaki Miyagishima, Secretary of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
Some delegations stressed that as the text contained important guidance for governments, it should be made available to Codex members without delay. Others noted that Codex was the only organisation among the three international standard-setting bodies recognised in the SPS Agreement (i.e. the International Plant Protection Convention for plant health and the Office International for Epizooties for animal health) that had not yet adopted such principles.
Planning for the future
Also at the meeting, Members adopted the draft strategic plan for 2008-2013.
The five strategic goals contained in the text are "promoting sound regulatory frameworks," "promoting widest and consistent application of scientific principles and risk analysis," "strengthening Codex work-management capabilities," "promoting cooperation between Codex and relevant international organisations" and "promoting maximum and effective participation of members."
The text acknowledges the importance of ensuring more effective participation and involvement of all members in setting globally relevant standards and strengthening partnerships with all stakeholders, in particular consumers and their representative organisations, at the global and national levels, and developing countries.
The draft strategic plan also notes that Codex needs to support the widest possible use of its standards by all members as a basis for domestic regulation and international trade. This would help countries to be more aware of the importance of the international harmonisation of food safety and quality standards, as well as the enhancement of food control systems for ensuring food safety and quality.
Background
While Codex standards are only voluntary, the Codex Alimentarius Commission is recognised by the SPS Agreement as the international organisation responsible for standard-setting related to food safety. WTO Members "shall base" their measures related to human and plant health on Codex’s standards, guidelines or recommendations. Such measures "shall be deemed to be necessary to protect human, animal or plant life of health, and presumed to be consistent with the relevant provisions" of the SPS Agreement.
Additional resources
List of proposals for the elaboration of new standards and related texts and for the discontinuation of work, Thirtieth Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, 2-7 July 2007 ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/CAC/CAC30/al30_08e.pdf
Strategic Planning of the Codex Alimentarius Commission: ftp://ftp.fao.org/Codex/CAC/CAC30/al3009Be.pdf
ICTSD reporting.