G/SPS/GEN/1844  
 
19 October 2020 
(20-7189) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
 
INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION (CODEX)  
The following communication, received on 16 October  2020, is being c irculated at the request of 
the Codex  secretariat.  
 
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1  CODEX MEETINGS HELD SINCE THE LAST SESSION OF THE SPS COMMITTEE 
(25-26 JUNE 2020)  
1.1.  79th Session of the Executive Committee  (CCEXEC79) was the first formal Codex meeting 
held online. It took place from 13 to 20 July 2020 and focused on the critical review of Codex  work 
aimed at addressing proposals for new work and monitoring the progress of standards development 
in the Codex Step Procedure with a view to making recommendations for consideration by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission related to the adoption of standa rds and approval of new work. 
CCEXEC79  also considered the strategic challenges and opportunities of Codex due to the COVID -19 
pandemic and agreed to establish a Sub -Committee of the CCEXEC to: examine the impact of the 
pandemic on Codex work management; a dvise the Commission and its subsidiary bodies on 
actions/initiatives to advance its work program of 2020/2021 and build resilience using modern tools 
and approaches consistent with Codex core values; ensure that Codex was well placed to deal with 
similar events in the future; and report back on their findings to CCEXEC80 (2021). The  report of 
CCEXEC79 can be downloaded from the Codex webpage . 
1.2.  43rd Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission  (CAC43) was held online after going 
through an endorsement process in which over 140 members agreed with i ts way of working. 
CAC43  met on 24 -26 September, 12 October ( and will subsequently meet on 19 October and 5 
and/or 6 November 2020 ) and focused its work on adoption of Codex standards and approval of new 
work. CAC43 adopted several food safety texts such as the Code of Practice on Food Allergen 
Management for Food Business Operators and the revision of the Gener al Principles of Food Hygiene 
and its HACCP Annex ; approved new work such as the priority lists of pesticides for evaluation by 
the FAO/WHO Joint Meeting for Pesticide Residues (JMPR) to ensure workflow between the Codex 
Committee on Pesticide Residues (CC PR) and JMPR, the development of Guidelines for the Safe Use 
and Reuse of Water in Food Production, etc. ; and advanced work to the next step in the Codex Step 
Procedure for additional comments and consideration/finalization at the relevant upcoming Codex 
meetings such as the Guidance for the Management of Biological Foodborne Outbreaks and the 
revision of the Code of Practice to Contain Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance. The next session of 
the Ad hoc Codex Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Res istance will consider this Code 
of Practice focusing on critical issues and also work on the Guidelines for the Monitoring and 
Surveillance of Foodborne AMR with a view to their finalization. The report of CAC43 can be 
downloaded from the Codex webpage .1 
1.3.  The Codex secretariat will provide an update on the continuity of Codex work in 2020 -2021 
based on the discussion that will take place in the virtual pl enary meeting of CAC43 scheduled for 
19 October 2020. The discussion will be based on the advice of the Codex secretariat in consultation 
 
1 The report of CAC43 will be available following adoption of the report of its Session on 5/6 November 
2020.  G/SPS/GEN/1844  
 
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  with FAO and WHO legal departments and the interim report of the CCEXEC Sub -Committee on the 
guidance for management o f Codex work amidst worldwide crises such as the COVID -19 pandemic.  
2  CODEX WORK AND THE PANDEMIC  
2.1.  The Codex secretariat continues to work closely with the host country secretariats and 
chairpersons of relevant Codex committees as well as the lead countries of electronic working groups 
(EWGs) established under different Codex committees to ensure work c ontinuity while maintaining 
the Codex principles of inclusiveness and transparency. Regular updates on the status of work of 
these Committees are published on their dedicated webpages on the Codex website . In addition, the 
Secretariat continues the consultation with host country secretariats and chairpersons of committees 
for the scheduling of Codex meetings in 2021 and ongoing work in EWGs during 2020 -2021.  
2.2.  For specific questions on the status of work in Codex committees of interest to SPS delegates 
please check the dedicated webpages or send an email to codex@fao.org . 
 
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