G/TBT/GEN/236  
 
20 November 2017  
(17-6335) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
 
ACTIVITIES OF THE WORLD HEALTH ORG ANIZATION RELATED  
TO THE WORK OF THE T BT COMMITTEE  
STATEMENT BY THE WHO  
This document contains information provided by WHO at the TBT Committee meeting of  
8-9 November 2017  under Agenda Item 4 (Updating by Observers) .  
 
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1.1.   With reference to the discussions in Agenda item 2 (B) on Specific Trade Concerns, in 
particular the issues related to nutrition labelling and alcoholic beverage labelling, we are happy to 
inform the Committee of the development at the C odex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL).  
1.2.  At its 44th Session held in Asuncion, Paraguay from 16 to 20 October 2017, CCFL has agreed 
to start new work to develop guidelines on front -of-pack labelling systems, and to submit the 
request for new work for appr oval to Codex Alimentarious Commission in July 2018. This was 
prompted by the fact that there is no specific Codex guideline nor any guidance on front -of-pack 
labelling at present.  
1.3.  An electronic working group, co -chaired by Costa Rica and New Zealand, woul d be working to 
prepare draft guidelines, taking into consideration of 4 key as pects: 1) scope and purpose; 
2) definition of front -of-pack labelling; 3) general principles for FOPL; and 4) aspects to consider in 
the development of FOPL systems. We are also  happy to inform this Committee that CCFL noted 
WHO's work on guiding principles for front -of-pack nutrition labelling systems and evidence 
reviews on nutrition labelling that are being developed as part of the guideline development for 
promoting healthy d iets, be considered in the development of guidance for Codex .  
1.4.  We are also happy to inform the Committee that at the 44th CCFL, WHO presented a 
discussion paper on alcoholic beverage labelling, highlighting the important role which labelling can 
play in pr oviding, not only the information on alcohol content, caloric value and ingredients, but 
also on health risks associated with alcohol consumption in order to protect the health of the 
consumers. WHO considers that it is timely for Codex to initiate the pro cess of developing 
guidance on alcoholic beverage labelling.  
1.5.  Although some Member States expressed some concerns on the proposed work on alcoholic 
beverage labelling, a number of countries from the African region highlighted the need for work on 
alcoholic beverage labelling due to increased availability and consumption of alcoholic beverages in 
their countries. They further indicated that the existing labelling regimes in their countries did not 
provide sufficient information, such as alcohol content; and t hat in some instances alcohol was 
being offered in quantities as little as 100 ml without any labelling. In order to further the 
discussion, CCFL agreed to develop a discussion paper (to be led by Russian Federation with 
support of EU, Ghana, India and Sen egal), including the information on the existing state of play in 
various Member States.  
1.6.  Finally, with reference to infant and follow -up formula brought up during the discussion in 
Agenda 2 (B), as we had informed at previous TBT meetings, WHO has been wor king with Codex 
Committees to ensure the coherence of the work of Codex in developing and/or updating Codex 
standards/guidelines and WHO policies and guidance (including World Health Assembly 
resolutions) in order to protect the health of the world populat ions, in particular of the vulnerable. G/TBT/GEN/236  
 
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  The outcomes of these efforts can be seen in a number of newly developed or updated Codex 
standards and guidelines. A most recent example is the on -going work on the updating of the 
Standard for Follow -up Formula wher e CCN FSDU at its 38th Session in December 2016 agreed to 
include the reference to the Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes and relevant WHA 
resolutions in order to ensure the policy coherence .  
1.7.  As far back as 1986, the World Health Assembly adopted the resolution 39.28, which clearly 
stated that "the practice being introduced in some countries of providing infants with specially 
formulated milks (so -called 'follow -up milks ') is not necessary ". However, we are very much aware 
that follow -up formula and increasingly "growing up milks " are available and marketed in many 
countries. Therefore, regulation  of their composition s, and indeed their marketing, is urgently 
needed.  
 
 
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