G/SPS/GEN/2173  
 
14 November  2023 
(23-7661) Page: 1/4 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES  
COMMUNICATION FROM THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION (CODEX)  
The following communication, received on 13 November  2023, is being c irculated at the request of 
the Codex secretariat . 
 
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1  INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE MEETINGS  
1.1  42nd Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (Budapest, 
Hungary, 13 –16 June 2023)  
1.1.  The work of CCMAS is important for conformity assessment or compliance with Codex 
standards or national regulation s/regulations.  
1.2.  CCMAS42 completed work on the revision of the General Guidelines on Sampling  
(CXG 50-2004) which it has forwarded to CAC46 for adoption. The revised Guidelines follow a more 
innovative and statistical approach to sampling and will be support ed by an information document 
comprising an e -book and sampling plan apps which is intended to be completed by the next session 
of CCMAS in 2024. These revised Guidelines will provide guidance to regulators who need to develop 
sampling plans for conformity  assessment purposes that are easily understood and useable.  
1.3.  CCMAS42 finalized an information document, Procedures for the estimation of measurement 
uncertainty, to support the implementation of the Guidelines on measurement uncertainty, which 
will be publ ished on the Codex website.  
1.4.  In addition, CCMAS is continuing to update methods of analysis in its single reference standard, 
the General Standard for Methods of Analysis and Sampling  (CXS 234 -1999) and has advanced 
several updated methods, in particular, f or the following commodities: fats and oils, cereals, pulses 
and legumes, processed fruits and vegetables and milk and milk products, infant formula, amongst 
others.  
1.2  54th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (CCPR54, Beijing, China, 
26 June – 1 July 2023)  
1.5.  CCPR54 recommended several new and revised maximum residue limits (MRLs) for 
pesticide/commodity combinations in food/feed for adoption by CAC46 with the  subsequent 
revocation of associated MRLs previously adopted by CAC.  
1.6.  In particular, several MRLs for the group peppers have been revised to include okra, martynia 
and roselle, minor crops commodities that necessitate MRLs to facilitate international trade.  
These  MRLs will remain in place until further data can be generated for review by the Joint FAO/WHO 
Meeting on Pesticides (JMPR) to determine whether single MRLs for these commodities can be 
established or whether a separate or the same group (peppers) ca n accommodate MRLs for okra, 
martynia and roselle. CCPR will monitor progress on data generation in order to make sure data is 
timely submitted to JMPR for review in the near future.  G/SPS/GEN/2173  
 
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  1.7.  CCPR54 continues work on establishment of MRLs for pesticides for new and  existing 
compounds through the submission of the priority list of pesticides for evaluation by JMPR for 
approval as new work by CAC46.  
1.8.  CCPR54 also completed work on the revision of the Classification of Foods and Animal Feed  
(CXA 4 -1989) with the finaliza tion of groups related to animal commodities and the corresponding 
table of representative commodities for the establishment of group MRLs using extrapolation 
approach. These groups and the corresponding tables, including other revisions to facilitate 
understanding of the Classification to establish MRLs for pesticides are for final adoption by CAC46.  
1.9.  CCPR54 recommended new work to provide guidance for monitoring the purity and stability of 
reference materials and related stock solutions of pesticides durin g prolonged storage to allow the 
extended use of the RMs which are stable with acceptable purity beyond their expiry dates specified 
for robust pesticide residue analysis.  
1.3  33rd Session of the C odex Committee on General Principles (Bordeaux, France, 
2-6 October 2023)  
1.10.   The Codex Procedural Manual (PM) provides the framework within which Codex undertakes 
its work and he Codex secretariat has developed a new format and layout of the PM which was 
presented at CCGP33. The aim is to improve accessibility and usabil ity. Among the new features 
introduced, were a foreword to give more visibility to the major additions/changes included in the 
latest version of the PM, and additional front and end matter sections, e.g., list of abbreviations, to 
facilitate easier navigat ion and usability.  
1.11.   In considering further recommendations on possible improvements CCGP33 also agreed to 
recommend that CAC46 approved the move of Section 6 (Membership of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission) of the PM to the Codex website with a link to the  list provided in the PM, thereby 
ensuring that the list could be updated without issuing new editions of the PM.  
1.12.   The Codex PM has evolved since the first edition was published in 1968 and additions over 
time have led to inconsistencies as well as some con tent being superseded. Continuing with the aim 
of improving usability CCGP33 discussed inconsistencies and superseded text in the PM and agreed 
to forward to CAC46 for approval changes to the PM to align with modern technologies and current 
practices , and a request to members to identify any other such areas that may need to be addressed.  
2  CROSS -CUTTING MATTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST TO THE WORK OF CAC AND ITS 
SUBSIDIARY BODIES  
2.1  84th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission 
(Geneva , Switzerland, 10 -14 July 2023)  
2.1.  Matters of relevance arising from CCEXEC84 concerning horizontal discussions in Codex that 
may be of relevance to the SPS Committee are summarized below Codex.  
2.2  Application of the Statements of Principle Concerning the Role o f Science in the Codex 
Decision -Making Process and the extent to which other factors are taken into account 
(SoP)  
2.2.  CAC45 (2022) agreed to refer the draft Guidance for Codex Chairpersons and members on the 
application of the SoP to the Chairpersons of Codex subsidiary bodies to facilitate deliberations on 
matters that fell within the scope of the SoP and urged members to take account of the draft 
guidance as appropriate during the process of standards development and advancement. CAC 
further requested the Cod ex secretariat to invite members and observers to provide specific 
suggestions to improve the draft guidance, its finalization and possible incorporation into guidance 
documents for Chairpersons and members. The updated draft guidance will be discussed at CAC46 
in late November  2023.  G/SPS/GEN/2173  
 
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  2.3  60th Anniversary of the Codex Alimentarius Commission  
2.3.  CAC45 encouraged members and observers to fully engage in the celebrations and to share 
information on their plans and activities directly and through the Codex secretariat; and urged 
members to commit to advocacy at all levels to ensure both the widest possible participation in the 
celebrations and the widest possible promotion of the work of Codex.  
2.4  Codex Strategic Plan 2020 -2025 (SP) – Monitoring framework on the use and impact 
of Codex standards  
2.4.  CAC45 noted the continuing evolution of the Codex SP monitoring framework and requested 
the Codex secretariat to review it.  
2.5.  CCEXEC84 considered a proposed revision to the monitoring framework and recommended that 
lessons learnt from the development and implementation of the monitoring framework for the 
Strategic Plan 2020 -25 be taken into acco unt when developing the monitoring framework for the 
Strategic Plan 2026 -2031. CCEXEC noting the report of the survey on the use and impact of Codex 
texts and its recommendations confirmed that the survey approach, piloted in 2022, should be used 
as part o f the mechanism to monitor the use and impact of Codex texts.  
2.5  Codex Strategic Plan 2026 -2031  
2.6.  CAC45 noted that there would be benefit in undertaking the elaboration of the next Strategic 
Plan with the membership in parallel with the development of the monit oring framework led by the 
Codex secretariat.  
2.7.  CCEXEC84 began work on developing the Codex Strategic Plan 2026 -2031 and considered a 
possible structure together with a timetable and process for its elaboration. In agreeing on an 
approach to move forward, CC EXEC84 recognized the value of immediate and ongoing engagement 
with the Codex membership on the process of drafting the Strategic Plan 2026 -2031 using a range 
of modalities; the key role of CCEXEC on providing strategic direction to the Commission, and th e 
importance of its involvement throughout the drafting of the Strategic Plan 2026 -2031. 
CCEXEC85  will review intersessional work and discuss the next steps regarding the development of 
the Strategic Plan 2026 -2031.  
2.6  New food sources and production systems (NFPS)  
2.8.  CAC45 recognized the importance of Codex working in a flexible and timely manner to consider 
NFPS as an important topic in the development of international standards aimed at protecting 
consumer health and ensuring fair practices in the food trade.  
2.9.  CAC45 encouraged members to submit proposals related to NFPS using existing mechanisms 
and subsidiary bodies to consider NFPS in their deliberations and requested the Codex secretariat to 
invite  comments  from members and observers for the identification of  possible issues related to 
NFPS that the current structure and procedures could not address and options to address them for 
discussion at CAC46.  
2.7  Future of Codex  
2.10.   CAC45 considered a report to develop a blueprint for the future of Codex based on the 
experien ce gained and changes needed to remain active during the COVID -19 pandemic as well as 
the timely opportunity of the 60th Anniversary to ensure that, in moving forward, Codex was fit for 
purpose. The context in which Codex will be working in the future has been one of the areas of 
discussion and if feeding into the development of the Codex Strategic plan 2026 -2031. In the course 
of the work note has been taken of the 12th Ministerial Conference of the WTO and its 
acknowledgement of the centrality of Codex st andard setting in the multilateral system in the context 
of emerging global challenges.  
2.11.   The discussion s on the future of Codex have had a particular focus on preparedness in terms 
of working modalities and the evolution of working practices within Codex related to meeting 
formats, meeting schedules, and working groups, and other virtual informal working mec hanisms.  G/SPS/GEN/2173  
 
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  2.12.   CAC45 noted that the future of Codex was a work in progress and that there would be an 
opportunity in 2023 for all members and observers to engage on this topic and noted the need, in 
due course, to review the PM to ensure that its provisions enab led and facilitated continued virtual 
and hybrid meetings.  
2.8  Other matters  
2.13.   Further information on the work of these committees can be found in the report of the Session 
available on the Codex website CAC45 , CCMAS42 , CCPR54 , CCEXEC84  and CCGP33 . 
3  FORTHCOMING CODEX MEETINGS OF SPS RELEVANCE (AS OF NOVEMBER 2023, SEE THE 
CODEX WEBSITE FOR THE FULL MEETING CALENDAR)  
3.1  CCEXEC  
3.1.  85th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC85, 
Rome, Italy, 20 -24 November 2023) (phys ical) 
3.2  CAC 
3.2.  46th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC46, Rome, Italy, 27 November – 
2 December 2023) (physical with possibility of remote participation)  
3.3.  Regular updates on the status of work of CCEXEC85  and CAC46  are published on their dedicated 
webpages.  
3.4.  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 . 
4  GENERAL  
4.1.  The Codex secretariat in collaboration with Host Country Secretariats are continuing to convene 
virtual and physical working group meetings and webinars in advance of Codex subsidiary s essions 
to support delegations ' preparations and facilitate discussions and consensus -building in plenary. 
Further information is available on the Committee webpages and the Codex calendar . 
 
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