WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/GEN/27 
22 December 2005 
 
 (05-6241) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
 
  
REPORT PROVIDED BY THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION  
AT THE TBT COMMITTEE MEETING OF 2 NOVEMBER 2005 
 
Agenda Item 7:  Updating by Observers
 
 
 
 The following report, dated 2 November 2005, is being circulated at the request of the Codex . 
 
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I. CODEX SESSIONS SINCE THE LAST MEETING OF THE TBT COMMITTEE 
(1 JULY 2005) 
• The 56th Session Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Rome, Italy, 
30 June- 2 July 2005). 
• The 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Rome, Italy, 4 - 9 July 2005). 
• The 5th Session of the Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Food Derived from 
Biotechnology (Chiba, Japan, 19-23 September 2005).  
1. In particular, the attention of the TBT Committee is drawn to the following. 
2. The 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, among others: 
(a) Adopted amendments to several sections of the Procedural Manual, including 
amendments to Procedures for the Elaboration of Codex Standards and Related Texts 
and took a decision to abolish the “Acceptance Procedure” ; 
(b) Adopted over 20 revised Code x standards or related texts (see Appendix I) ; 
(c) Approved 14 new work proposals (see Appendix II) ; 
(d) Endorsed the proposed structure of and the timeline for the preparation of the 
Strategic Plan for the period 2008-2013; 
(e) Considered the Consultants’ report on the Review of the Codex Committee Structure 
and Mandates of Codex Committees and Task Forces and decided to split the Codex 
Committee on Food Additives and Contamin ants into two Committees (one on 
additives and one on  contaminants); 
(f) Agreed to strengthen cooperation with the World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE);  G/TBT/GEN/27 
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(g) Encouraged current donors to continue to provide funds to the FAO/WHO Trust Fund 
for Enhanced Participation in Codex and invited other countries to consider 
contributing to the Fund;  
(h) Informed the Commission of WTO technica l assistance activities, including those 
provided under the framework of the Standards and Trade Development Facility 
(STDF) aimed at assisting in the implementation of international standards by developing country members. 
3. The 5
th Session of the Codex Ad Hoc  Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods derived 
from Biotechnology  was held from 19 to 23 September 2005 in Japan.  It agreed to initiate new work 
on a Guideline for the Conduct of Safety Asse ssment of Foods derived from Recombinant-DNA 
Animals and an Annex on Recombinant-DNA Plants Modified for Nutritional or Health Benefits (to 
be appended to the Guideline for the Conduct of Safety Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant-DNA Plants (CAC/GL 45-2003)).  These proposals for new work are subject to official 
approval by the 29
th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (July 2006).  
II. FORTHCOMING CODEX MEETINGS  
• The 27th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses  
(Bonn, Germany, 21-25 November 2005).  
• The 14th Session of the  Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and 
Certification Systems (Melbourne, Austra lia, 28 November - 2 December 2005).  
• The 57th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission 
(Geneva, Switzerland, 6-9 December 2005). 
• The 7th Session of the Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products (Queenstown, New 
Zealand, 27 March - 1 April 2006).  
4. The 27th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary 
Uses  will consider the definition and claims of “dieta ry fibre” of the Draft Guidelines for use of 
Nutrient Claims (part B) in order to provide in formation to consumers, especially when nutrition 
claims are made in relation to this food componen t.  The Committee will continue to consider the 
revision of the Advisory list(s) of Mineral Salts and Vitamin Compounds for the use in Foods for infants and children in order to increase the range of  nutrients and include nutrients other than vitamin 
compounds and mineral salts.  The Committee w ill also consider the work on proposed draft 
Recommendations on the Scientific Basis for H ealth Claims which are intended to specify the 
requirements for the scientific justification of heal th claims, as well as the paper prepared by the 
WHO in cooperation with FAO on how Codex could a ssist in the implementation of the WHO Global 
Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health.   
5. The 14
th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Impo rt and Export Inspection and 
Certification Systems  will consider Principles for the Applic ation of Traceability/Product Tracing in 
the context of Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems.  A first draft of the 
Principles has been elaborated by a Working Group,  led by Australia and co-c haired by Argentina and 
Norway, which met in Brussels on 12-14 September 2005.  The Committee, among other things, started working on the elaboration of Appendices to  the Guidelines on the Judgement of Equivalence 
of Sanitary Measures Associated with Food Insp ection and Certification Systems and on the revision 
of the Guidelines for Generic Official Certific ate Formats and the Production and Issuance of 
Certificates.  The Committee will also consider draft Principles and Guidelines for Risk-based 
Inspection of Imported Foods and a discussion paper on the revision of the Guidelines for the Exchange of Information Between Countries on Rejections of Imported Foods.  G/TBT/GEN/27 
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6. The 57th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission  will 
consider in particular financial and budge tary matters, the implementation of the  Joint FAO/WHO 
Evaluation of the Codex Alimentarius and other FAO and WHO Work on Food Standards , the 
development of the Strategic Plan 2008-2013, and the Critical Review of Proposals for New Work 
and Monitoring Progress of Standards Development. 
7. The 7th Session of the Codex Committee on M ilk and Milk Products  will be primarily 
involved in the further elaboration and revision of standards for milk and milk products.  In particular, 
this Session of the Committee will consider: amendmen ts to the Codex General Standard for Cheese;  
standards for milk products with vegetable fats;  revisions of the Codex Standards for individual 
cheeses, dairy spreads, processed cheese, fermente d milk drinks and whey cheeses.  The Committee 
will further elaborate a model export certificate for mi lk and milk products. It will also consider food 
additive provisions of the Codex Standard for Fermented Milk Products, additional methods of 
analysis and sampling for milk and milk products a nd issues related to naming non standardised dairy 
products. 
 
III. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION 
8. The membership currently comprises 172 countries and the European Community.  
9. Afghanistan has become a Member since September 2005. 
 
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APPENDIX I 
 
LIST OF STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS ADOPTED BY THE TWENTY-EIGTH 
SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION 
 
Part 1. Standards and Related Texts Adopted at Step 8 as Final Texts 
 
STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS REFERENCE 
Food additive provisions of the General St andard for Food Additives ALINORM 05/28/12; 
para. 83 and Appendix X 
Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin 
Contamination in Tree Nuts ALINORM 05/28/12; 
para. 132 and Appendix XXI 
Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Tin Contamination 
in Canned Foods ALINORM 05/28/12; 
para. 166 and Appendix 
XXV 
Maximum Levels for cadmium in wheat grain; potato; stem and root 
vegetables; leafy vegetables; and, other vegetables ALINORM 05/28/12; 
para. 175 and Appendix 
XXVI 
Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (section on Aquaculture) ALINORM 05/28/18; 
para. 59 and Appendix II  
Amendment to the Standard for Salted Fish and Dried Salted Fish of the 
Gadidae  Family ALINORM 05/28/18; 
para. 34 and Appendix IV 
Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat ALINORM 05/28/16; 
para. 67 and Appendix II  
Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements ALINORM 05/28/26; 
para. 35 and Appendix II 
Maximum Residue Levels for Pesticides  ALINORM 05/28/24; 
Paras 77- 213 and 
Appendix II  
Interim  Maximum Residue Levels for Pesticides  ALINORM 05/28/24; 
Paras 189 – 203 and 
Appendix V 
Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs  ALINORM 05/28/31; 
para. 92 and Appendix II 
Codex General Standard for Fruit Ju ices and Nectars ALINORM 05/28/39; 
para.103 and Appendix II 
Minimum Brix Level for Reconstituted Juice and Reconstituted Purée 
and Minimum Juice and/or Purée Content for Fruit Nectars (% v/v) 
grape, guava, mandarine/tangerine, mango, passion fruit and tamarind 
(Indian date)  juices/nectars   ALINORM 05/28/39; 
para. 104 and Appendix 
III  
Methods of Analysis endorsed for inclusion in commodity standards 
and/or in Codex STAN 234-1999:  Standard for Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils; general methods for proc essed fruits and vegetables; and 
specific standards for Proces sed Fruits and Vegetables ALINORM 05/28/23; 
paras. 53-83 and 88 and Appendix III
 
  G/TBT/GEN/27 
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Part 2. Standards and Related Texts Adopted at Step 5 and Step 8 as Final Texts with  
endation to Omission of Steps 6 and 7 
 
STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS REFERENCE 
Food additive provisions of the General St andard for Food Additives ALINORM 05/28/12; 
para. 83 and Appendix X 
Amendments to the International Numbering System for Food Additives ALINORM 05/28/12; 
para. 88 and Appendix 
XIII 
Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives arising from 
the 63rd JECFA meeting ALINORM 05/28/12; 
para. 114 and Appendix XVI 
Revision of the Preamble of the General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Foods (GSCTF) (N09-2004) ALINORM 05/28/12; 
para. 128 and Appendix 
XIX 
Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (Shrimps and Prawns; 
Cephalopods; Transport; Retail; and relevant Definitions) ALINORM 05/28/18; 
para. 91 and Appendix III  
Standard for Rambutan ALINORM 05/28/35; 
para. 89 and Appendix VI
Principles for Electronic Certification ALINORM 05/28/30; 
para. 37 and Appendix II 
Amendment to the Standard for Named Vegetable Oil; Amendment of Sesame seed Oil ALINORM 05/28/17; 
para. 45 and Appendix III 
Regional Guidelines for Codex Contact Points and National Codex 
Committees ALINORM 05/28/40; 
para. 66 and Appendix V 
Maximum Residue Levels for Pesticides  ALINORM 05/28/24; 
Paras 77- 213 and 
Appendix III 
Maximum Residue Levels for Pesticides – Spices  ALINORM 05/28/24; 
Paras 177 – 182 and Appendix IV 
Guidelines on the Use of Mass Spectrometry (MS) for Identification, Confirmation and Quantitative Determination of Residues ALINORM 05/28/24; 
para. 228 and Appendix X 
 
New Codes and Numbers for Commodities with Adopted MRLs ALINORM 05/28/24; 
para. 268 and Appendix XI
Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs ALINORM 05/28/31; 
para. 92 and Appendix III 
Code of Practice to Minimize and Contain Antimicrobial Resistance ALINORM 05/28/31; 
para. 117 and Appendix VIII 
Minimum Brix Level forReconstituted Juice and Reconstituted Purée and Minimum Juice and/or Purée Content for Fruit Nectars (% v/v)
lemon, lime, orange and pineapple juices/nectars   ALINORM 05/28/39; 
para. 105 and Appendix 
IV  G/TBT/GEN/27 
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Part 3. Standards and Related Texts Adopted at Step 5 of the Accelerated Procedure 
 
STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS REFERENCE 
Revised Table 1 of the Recommended International Code of Practice for 
the Storage and Transport of the Edible Fats and Oils in Bulk ALINORM 05/28/17; 
para. 52 and Appendix II 
  G/TBT/GEN/27 
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APPENDIX II 
 
LIST OF NEW WORK APPROVED BY THE TWENTY-EIGHT SESSION OF THE CODEX 
ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION 
RESPONSIBLE 
COMMITTEE STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS JOB CODE 
CCFO Proposed Draft Amendment to the Codex Standard for Named 
Vegetable  Oil; Amendment to Total Carotenoids in Unbleached 
Palm Oil - Accelerated Procedure  
N01-2005 
CCFFP Proposed Draft Code of Practice on the Processing of Scallop 
Meat N02-2005 
CCFFV Proposed Draft Standard for “Bitter” Cassava N03-2005 
CCFICS Proposed Draft Principles for the Application of 
Traceability/Product Tracing in th e Context of Food Import and 
Export Inspection and Certification Systems N04-2005 
CCFICS Proposed Draft Revision of the Codex Guidelines for Generic 
Official Certificate Formats and the Production and Issuance of Certificates N05-2005 
CCASIA Proposed Draft Regional Standard for Non-Fermented Soybean 
Products N06-2005 
CCFAC Proposed Draft Revision of the “Class Names and International 
Numbering System for Food Additives - CAC/GL 36-2003” N07-2005 
CCFAC Proposed Draft Appendix to the Code of Practice for the 
Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in Tree Nuts to address additional measures for the prevention and 
reduction of Aflatoxins in Brazil Nuts  
N08-2005 
CCFAC Proposed Draft Code of Practice for the Reduction of 
Chloropropanols during the Pr oduction of acid-Hydrolyzed 
Vegetable Proteins (HVPs) and Products that Contain acid-
HVPs N09-2005 
CCFL Proposed Draft Definition of Tr ans-Fatty Acids (Amendment to 
the General Standard for the Labe lling of Prepackaged Foods  
and the the Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling ) - Accelerated 
Procedure  N10-2005 
CCPR Proposed Draft Revision of the MRL Elaboration Procedure  N11-2005 
CCPR Priority List of Chemicals for Evaluation and Re-evaluation by 
JMPR ongoing 
CCRVDF Priority List of Veterinary Drugs requiring Evaluation or Re-
evaluation ongoing 
IV. CCGP Proposed Draft Amendments to th e Rules of Procedure: duration 
of the term of office of the Members of the Executive 
Committee Procedure 
 
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