Food Law News - FAO/WHO/WTO/Codex - 2004

19–22 October 2004

COMMITTEE - Coordinating Committee For North America and the South West Pacific (8 th Session) - Apia, Samoa

The Eighth Session of the Codex Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific reached the following conclusions:

• Expressed appreciation to FAO and WHO for their effort to maintain the adequate budgetary level for Codex and for the measures taken for further cost savings (para. 5);
• Generally supported the current role, geographic distribution and terms of reference of the Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific (para. 7);
• Encouraged Countries of the region to consider and respond to the questions referred to the Codex Committee on General Principles by the 27th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission regarding the Code of Ethics for International Trade in Food (para. 9);
• Endorsed the Strategic Plan for the CCNASWP and agreed that a progress report, including a needs assessment, would be presented at the next Session for its evaluation with a view for its revision at the following Session of the Committee (paras 30-31 and Appendix II);
• Acknowledged the technical assistance on food standards and regulations provided by FAO and WHO at the global and regional level (para. 46);
• Noted issues related to food legislation, especially in the perspective of economic integration, food control systems, export/import matters and relevant training activities, from countries in the Region (paras 47-67);
• Noted issues and exchanged experiences on the means of developing consumer input into National Codex Committees and Contact Points from countries and observers in the Region (paras 68-80);
• Agreed that there was no need for further elaboration of the provisions related to the country of origin labelling in the Codex General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods, which were considered sufficient to provide adequate information to the consumers (para.84);
• Reiterated its general support to the enlargement of the Executive Committee to include Regional Coordinators as full Members. It was further agreed that, in view of the changed composition and new function of the Executive Committee, there was a need to clarify the respective roles of the Regional Coordinators and the members elected on a geographic basis and to refer this matter to the Codex Committee on General Principles at its 21st Session (para. 89);
• Reiterated the full support to the Trust Fund and emphasized the need for reviewing the criteria used for the distribution of funds in view of increasing the benefit to the recipients and for reviewing the effectiveness of the Trust Fund with respect to its objectives (para. 94);
• Unanimously agreed to recommend to the 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission that Samoa be reappointed for a second term as Regional Coordinator for the North America and the South West Pacific (para. 95);
• Supported the development of a new Standard on Parmesan cheese and encouraged the Commission to adopt the amendment of the Codex Standard for Canned Sardines and Sardine-Type Products (para. 105);
• Recommended that the Delegations of Fiji and Tonga present the proposal for the amendment of the Codex Standard on Sweet Cassava to the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (para. 109);
• Recommended that the Delegation of Fiji submit the proposal for the elaboration of a Codex Standard for Kava to the appropriate Committee (para. 110);
• Recommended that Fiji should contribute its study on mercury in fish for the preparation of the working document on the possible need to revise the Codex Guideline Level for Methylmercury in fish that will be considered by the 37th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants and by joining the working group mentioned above (para. 113).