WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/727 
9 October 2006 
 (06-4819) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
SUBMISSION TO THE 37
TH MEETING OF THE SPS COMMITTEE 
(GENEVA, 11-13 OCTOBER 2006) 
 
INFORMATION ON ACTIVITIES OF THE  
CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION 
 
Submission by the Codex Alimentarius Commission  
   The following communication, dated 5 October 2006, is being circulated at the request of the 
Codex Alimentarius Commission. 
 
_______________ 
 
 
I. CODEX SESSIONS SINCE THE THIRTY -SIXTH MEETING OF THE SPS 
COMMITTEE (JUNE 2006)  
- The 58
th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission 
(Geneva, Switzerland, 28 June-1 July 2006) 
- The 29th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Geneva, Switzerland, 3-7 July 
2006) 
- The 28th Session of the Codex Committee on Fish a nd Fishery Products (Beijing, China, 18–
22 September 2006) 
- The 13th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruit and Vegetables (Mexico City, 
Mexico, 25–29 September 2006) 
In particular, the SPS Committee may wish to  draw its attention to the following: 
 
1. The 29th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, among others: 
 Adopted amendments to the Rules of Procedur e and other amendments to the Procedural 
Manual, including the splitting of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants into the Committee on Food Additives and the Committee on 
Contaminants in Foods; 
 Adopted 26 new or revised Codex standards or related texts ( see Appendix I ); 
 Approved a number of new work proposals and proposals for discontinuation of work 
(see Appendix II ); 
 Noted with satisfaction the progress made in implementing the proposals based on the 
recommendations from the Codex Evaluation (2002); and agreed to continue consideration of the proposals made by the secretariat on the review of Codex committee 
structure and mandates of Codex committees and task forces; G/SPS/GEN/727 
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   Agreed to establish Codex Ad Hoc Inter governmental Task Forces on Antimicrobial 
Resistance and on the Handling and Processing of Quick Frozen Foods, while deferring 
to its 31
st Session the decision on whether to start new work on animal feeding; 
 Noted with satisfaction the collaboration and cooperation betw een Codex and other 
international organisations, namely the OIE and the IPPC; 
 Expressed its appreciation to FAO and WHO and to the countries having made donations 
to the FAO/WHO Trust Fund for Enhanced Participation in Codex;  and 
 Expressed its appreciation to FAO and WHO for their ongoing activities in support of 
Codex, namely provision of scientific advi ce and capacity building in food safety and 
quality. 
The full report of the meeting is available at:  http://www.codexalimentarius.net  
or  at:  ftp://ftp.fao.org/codex/Alinorm06/al29_41e.pdf 
2. The 28th Session of the Committee on Fish and Fishery Products  finalised for adoption by 
the Codex Alimentarius Commission the sections of  the Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery 
Products on Salted Fish and on Quick Frozen Coated  Products.  Substantial progress was achieved on 
the sections on Lobsters and Crabs and on Live and Raw Bivalve Molluscs in the Code, and on the 
Proposed Draft Standard for Live and Raw Molluscs,  which was especially important in view of the 
food safety issues associated with bivalve mollusc s.  The scientific advice provided by the Joint 
FAO/WHO/IOC ad hoc  Expert Consultation on Biotoxins in Bivalve Molluscs was especially 
relevant to facilitate consensus on the issues relate d to biotoxins in the standard and code.  The 
Committee also continued its work on the standard s for sturgeon caviar and for smoked fish, and on 
the remaining sections of the Code of Practice.  The Committee agreed to develop new standards for 
fish sauce and for abalone. 
II. FORTHCOMING CODEX MEETINGS  
- The 9th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for North America and South 
West Pacific (Apia, Samoa, 10-13 October 2006) 
- The 23rd Session of the Codex Committee on Pro cessed Fruits and Vegetables (Arlington, 
United States of America, 16-21 October 2006) 
- The 28th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses 
(Chiang Mai, Thailand, 30  October-3 November 2006) 
- The 15th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the 
Caribbean (Mar del Plata, Argentina, 13-17 November 2006) 
- The 15th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and 
Certification Systems (Mar del Plata, Argentina, 6-10 November 2006) 
- The 15th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Asia (Seoul, Republic of 
Korea, 21-24 November 2006) 
- The 6th Session of the Codex Ad Hoc  Intergovernmental Task Force on Food Derived from 
Biotechnology (Chiba, Japan, 27 November–1 December 2006) 
- The 38th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene (Houston, United States of 
America, 4-9 December 2006) 
- The 25th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Europe (Vilnius, Lithuania, 
15-18 January 2007)  G/SPS/GEN/727 
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  - The 17th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Africa (Morocco, 23-
26 January 2007) 
- The 20th Session of the Codex Committee on Fats and Oils (London, United Kingdom, 19-
23 February 2006) 
- The 4th Session of the FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Near East (Amman, Jordan, 
26 February - 1 March 2007) 
- The 28th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (Budapest, 
Hungary, 5-9 March 2007) 
In particular, the SPS Committee may wish to  draw its attention to the following: 
 3. The 28
th Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary 
Uses  will be primarily involved in the further ela boration and revision of standards and guidelines for 
Infant Formula and Formulas for Special Medical Purposes intended for Infants and the Use of 
Nutrition Claims:  Draft Table of Conditions for Nutr ient Contents.  In addition, the standards for 
Gluten-Free Foods and Proposed Draft Revision of the Advisory List of Nutrient Compounds for Use in Foods for Special Dietary Uses Intended for the Use by Infants and Young Children will be 
discussed. 
4. The 15
th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and 
Certification Systems  will consider the renamed Proposed Draft Appendices to the Guidelines on the 
Judgement of Equivalence of Sanitary Measures As sociated with Food Inspection and Certification 
and the renamed Proposed Draft Principles and Guid elines for Generic Official Certificate Formats 
and the Production and Issuance of Certificates. 
5. The 6th Session of the Codex Ad Hoc  Intergovernmental Task Force on Food Derived 
from Biotechnolog y will consider the Proposed Draft Guideline for the Conduct of Food Safety 
Assessment of Foods Derived from Recombinant-DNA Animals and a scoping document on food 
safety assessment of food derived from recombinant- DNA plants modified for nutritional or health 
benefit.  The Task Force is also expected to discuss other matters such as food safety assessment of 
low level presence of recombinant-DNA plant material in food resulting from asynchronous 
authorizations. 
6. The 38th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene  intends to finalize the Draft 
Guidelines for the Control of Listeria monocytogenes  in Ready-to-Eat Foods;  the Draft Principles and 
Guidelines for the Conduct of Microbial Risk Ma nagement.  The committee will discuss the Draft 
Revision of the Code of Hygienic Practice for E gg Products and the Proposed Draft Guidelines for the 
Validation of Food Hygiene Control Measures. 
7. The 28th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling  will 
discuss the Proposed Draft Guidelines for Settling Disputes on Analysis (Test) Results and Draft 
Guidelines for Evaluating Acceptable Methods of Anal ysis.  In addition, The Review of Analytical 
Terminology for Codex Use, the C onversion of Methods for Trace Elem ents into Criteria, the Criteria 
for Methods of Analysis for foods derived from Biotechnology, and the Methods of Analysis for 
Dioxins and PCBs will be considered. 
III. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION 
8. Belarus joined Codex in September 2006.  The membership of th e Commission currently 
comprises 174 countries and the European Community. G/SPS/GEN/727 
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  APPENDIX I 
LIST OF STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS ADOPTED BY THE TWENTY-
NINTH SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION  
Part 1 – Standards and related texts adopted at Step 8 as Final Texts 
Standard and Related Text Reference 
Standard for Instant Noodles (except Sections 4 and 9 – see 
Part 2 of this Appendix) Annex to CL 2006/15-CPL 
Revision of the Preamble of th e Codex General Standard for 
Food Additives ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix V 
Food additive provisions of the General Standard for Food 
Additives (GSFA) ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix VII & 
XI 
Maximum Level for Lead in Fish ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix XXIV 
Maximum Levels for Cadmium in marine bivalve molluscs (excluding oysters and scallops), in cephalopods (without viscera) and in polished rice ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix XXV 
Amendment to Section 2 "Description" of the General Standard 
for Cheese ALINORM 06/29/11, Appendix II 
Standard for a Blend of Evaporated Skimmed Milk and 
Vegetable Fat ALINORM 06/29/11, Appendix III 
Standard for a Blend of Skimmed Milk and Vegetable Fat in 
Powdered Form  ALINORM 06/29/11, Appendix IV 
Standard for a Blend of Sweetened Condensed Skimmed Milk 
and Vegetable Fat  ALINORM 06/29/11, Appendix V 
Revision of the Standard for Whey Cheeses ALINORM 06/29/11, Appendix VIII 
Revision of the Standard for Processed Cereal-Based Foods for 
Infants and Young Children ALINORM 06/29/26, Appendix II 
Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides, including Dried Chili 
Pepper ALINORM 06/29/24, Appendix II 
Guidelines on Estimation of Uncertainty of Results  ALINORM 06/29/24, Appendix IV 
Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary  Drugs ALINORM 06/29/31, Appendix II 
Part 2 – Standards and related texts adopted at Step 5/8 (with omission of Steps 6 and 7)  
Standard and Related Text Reference 
Standard for Instant Noodles (Sections 4 and 9 – see Part 1 of 
this Appendix)  Annex to CL 2006/15-CPL 
Food additive provisions of the General Standard for Food 
Additives (GSFA) ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix VII & 
XI 
Amendments to the Internati onal Numbering System for Food 
Additives ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix XVI  G/SPS/GEN/727 
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  Standard and Related Text Reference 
Specifications for the Identity and Purity of Food Additives 
arising from the 65th JECFA meeting ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix XVII 
Appendix to the Codex Code of Practice for the Prevention and 
Reduction of Aflatoxins Contamination in Tree Nuts – Additional Measures for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxins Contamination in Brazil nuts (N08-2005) ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix XX 
Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Dioxin 
and Dioxin-like PCB Contamination in Food and Feeds ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix XXVI 
Revision of the Guideline Levels for Radionuclides in Foods 
Contaminated Following a Nuclear or Radiological Emergency for Use in International Trade ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix XXXI 
Principles and Guidelines for Imported Food Inspection Based 
on Risk ALINORM 06/29/30, Appendix II 
Principles for Traceability/Product Tracing as a Tool within a 
Food Inspection and Certification System  ALINORM 06/29/30, Appendix III 
Standard for Dairy Fat Spreads  ALINORM 06/29/11, Appendix XXIII 
Maximum Residue Limits for Pesticides ALINORM 06/29/24, Appendix III 
Part 3 – Standards and related texts adopted at Step 5 of the Accelerated Procedure  
Standard and Related Text Reference 
Amendment to the Guidelines on Nutrition Labelling: 
Definition of Trans Fatty Acids ALINORM 06/29/22, Appendix V 
Part 4 – Other Standards and related texts submitted for adoption 
Standard and Related Text Reference 
Labelling provisions related to processing aids for inclusion in 
the Codex General Standard for Fruit Juices and Nectars ALINORM 06/29/22, paras 4-5 
Methods of analysis and sampling for inclusion in Codex 
standards and/or in CODEX STAN 234-1999 ALINORM 06/29/23, Appendix II 
Codex General Standard for Contam inants and Toxins in Foods, 
including Schedule I  ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix XVIII 
Amendment of the Annex to Table 3 of the GSFA  ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix VIII 
Revision of the Descriptor of Food Category 13.6 "Food 
supplements" of the GSFA  ALINORM 06/29/12, Appendix 
XXXIII 
Amendment to the Standard for Whey Powders, inclusion of provision for benzoyl peroxide ALINORM 06/29/11, para. 21 G/SPS/GEN/727 
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  Standard and Related Text Reference 
Amendment to the Food Hygiene Section in certain Standards 
for Milk and Milk Products ALINORM 06/29/9C, paras 16-17 and 
Annex I, CODEX STAN A-6 1978 
(Codex General Standard for Cheese) 
Amendment to the reference in the Guidelines for the 
Assessment of the Competence of  Testing Laboratories involved 
in the Import and Export Control of Foods (CAC/GL 27-1991) ALINORM 06/29/23, paras 98-102  
  
  G/SPS/GEN/727 
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  APPENDIX II 
LIST OF STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS APPROVED AS NEW WORK BY THE 
TWENTY-NINTH SESSION OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION 
Responsible 
Committee Standard and Related Texts  
TFFBT Proposed Draft Guideline for the Conduct of Food Safety Assessment of Foods 
derived from Recombinant-DNA Animals  
TFFBT Proposed Draft Annex to the Codex Guid eline for the Conduct of Food Safety 
Assessment of Foods Derived from Re combinant-DNA Plants (CAC/GL 45-2003) 
regarding food safety assessment of foods derived from recombinant-DNA plants 
modified for nutritional or health benefits 
CCFA Guidelines for the Use of Flavourings 
CCCF Revision of the Preamble of the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and 
Toxins in Foods 
CCCF Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Ochratoxin A Contamination 
in Wine 
CCCF Code of Practice for the Reduction of Acrylamide in Food 
CCCF Code of Practice for the Reduction of Contamination of Food with PAH from 
Smoking and Direct Drying Processes 
CCMMP Amendment to the List of Additives of the Code Standard for Creams and Prepared 
Creams 
CCPR Priority List of Pesticides (New Pe sticides and Pesticides under Periodic Review) 
CCPR Extension of the Work on the Revision of the Codex Classification of Foods and 
Animal Feeds 
CCRVDF Priority List of Veterinary Dr ugs Requiring Evaluati on of Re-evaluation 
CCFL Proposed Draft Amendment to the Guide lines for Organically Produced Foods 
(Ethylene) 
CCFL Definition of advertising as rela ted to Health and Nutrition Claims 
CCMAS Revision of Principles for the Establishment or Selection of Codex Sampling 
Procedures  in the Procedural Manual 
CCMAS Review of Analytical Terminology for Codex Use  approved as new work by the 26th 
Session of the Commission to be transferred from the Procedural Manual to a Proposed Draft Guideline on Analytical Terminology 
__________