WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/GEN/22 
3 August 2005 
 (05-3500) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
REPORT PROVIDED BY THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION  
AT THE TBT COMMITTEE MEETING OF 16-17 JUNE 2005 
 
Agenda Item 5(b):  Updating by Observers
 
 
 
 The following report, dated 16 June 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 
(MARCH 2005) 
• The 26
th Session of the Codex Committee on Me thods of Analysis and Sampling 
(4-8 April 2005, Budapest, Hungary) 
 
• The 22nd Session of the Codex Committee on Gene ral Principles (11-15 April 2005, Paris, 
France) 
 
• The 37th Session of the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues (18-23 April 2005, 
The Hague, Netherlands) 
 
• The 37th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants 
(25-29 April 2005, The Hague, Netherlands) 
 
• The 33rd Session of the Codex Committee on Food La belling (9-13 May 2005, Kota Kinabalu, 
Malaysia) 
 
• The 12th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (16-20 May 2005, 
Mexico City, Mexico) 
 1. In particular, the attention of the TBT Committee is drawn to the following meetings:   
2. The 26
th Session of the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling , in 
addition to the endorsement of methods of analysis in Codex standards,  is currently working on the 
Draft Guidelines for Evaluating Acceptable Methods of Analysis, the Proposed Draft Guidelines for 
Settling Disputes on Analytical (Test) Results and the revision of the Analytical Terminology for 
Codex Use .  The Committee decided to continue its work  on the criteria for methods of analysis for 
foods derived from biotechnology;  the methods for the determination of dioxins and PCBs;  and to 
consider the revision of the IUPAC/ISO/AOAC Protocol for Proficiency Testing and sampling 
uncertainty at its next session. 
3. The 22nd Session of the Codex Committee on General Principles  agreed to abolish the 
acceptance procedure for Codex standards as many de legations recognized that it had not been used 
by Member countries for a long time and that it was not relevant in the framework of the WTO SPS G/TBT/GEN/22 
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 and TBT Agreements.  All relevant  sections of the Procedural Ma nual were amende d accordingly.  
The Committee also discussed the n eed for information on the use of Codex standards and agreed that 
the Codex Secretariat should initiate informal cons ultations with the WTO Secretariat on how to 
monitor information on the use of Codex standards at the national level.   
4. The 33
rd Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling  decided to forward the 
Proposed Draft Amendment to the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods :  
Quantitative Declaration of Ingredients  to the Codex Alimentarius Commission for adoption as a 
Draft Amendment and is proceeding with its work on the revision of the Guidelines for the 
Production, Processing, Labelling and Ma rketing of Organically Produced Foods :  Annex 2 – 
Permitted Substances.  The Committee agreed to consider at its next session the Draft Amendment to 
the General Standard for the Labelling  of Prepackaged Foods (Draft Recommendations for the 
Labelling of Foods Obtained through Certain Techniques of Genetic Modification/Genetic 
Engineering) :  Definitions  and to redraft and ask for further comments on the proposed draft 
Guidelines for the Labelling of Food and Food Ingr edients Obtained through Certain Techniques of 
Genetic Modification/Genetic Engi neering:  Labelling Provisions .  The Committee agreed not to 
undertake new work on country of origin labellin g and agreed to continue its discussion on 
advertising in relation to claims at its next session. 
5. The 12th Session of the Codex Committee on Fresh Fruits and Vegetables discussed 
quality provisions (including labelling requirements) in the standards for apples, rambutans, table 
grapes and tomatoes as well as matters surrounding the qua lity control of fresh fruits and vegetables.  
The Committee agreed to forward the proposed draft Codex Standard for Rambutan  to the 
28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission fo r final adoption at Step 5/8 with omission of 
Steps 6/7 and agreed to continue work on the other i ssues.  It was also agreed to initiate work on the 
revision of the Codex Standard for Sweet Cassava  in order to include other varieties of cassava fit for 
human consumption, subject to the approval as ne w work by the next session of the Commission. 
II. RECOMMENDED INTERNATIONAL CODE OF PRACTICE FOR THE 
HANDLING AND PROCESSING OF QUICK FROZEN FOODS 
6. The 27th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (July 2004) agreed to proceed with 
the revision of the Recommended International Code of Prac tice for the Handling and Processing of 
Quick Frozen Foods  working by correspondence on the quality provisions of the Code before 
transferring the work on finalization of hygienic /safety provisions to the Codex Committee on Food 
Hygiene so that a single revised document can be sent to the Commission for final adoption.  As a 
follow-up to this decision, the Code is currently being circulated for a second round of comments on 
the quality provisions with a view to including greater  range of views in the revision thus enabling the 
finalization of all quality provisions of the Code by  the next Session of the Commission (July 2005).   
III. FORTHCOMING CODEX MEETINGS  
• The 56th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission 
(30 June–2 July 2005, Rome, Italy) 
 
• The 28th Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (4 – 9 July 2005, Rome, Italy) 
 
• The 5th Ad Hoc  Intergovernmental Task Force on Foods Derived from Biotechnology 
(19-23 September 2005, Chiba, Japan) 
 
• The 26th  Session of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses 
(21–25 November 2005, Bonn, Germany) 
  G/TBT/GEN/22 
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 • The 14th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and 
Certification Systems (28 November – 2 December 2005, Melbourne, Australia) 
 7. In particular, the attention of the TBT Committee is drawn to the following meetings: 
8. The Codex Alimentarius Commission  will hold its 28
th Session at the Food and Agriculture 
Organization of the U.N., Rome, Italy, from 4–9 July 2005, preceded by the 56th Session of the 
Executive Committee.  The 28th Session will consider, among othe rs, draft Codex standards and 
related texts for final adoption at Step 8 or at St ep 5/8 (see Annex) as well as proposals to amend the 
Rules of Procedure and other texts in the Procedural Manual. 
9. The 14th Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and 
Certification Systems  will consider Principles for the App lication of Traceability/Product Tracing in 
the context of Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems.  A first draft of the 
Principles, subject to approval of new work by the 28th Session of the Commission, will be elaborated 
by a Working Group, led by Australia and co-chaired by Argentina and Norway, which will meet in Brussels on 12-14 September 2005.  The Committee, among others, will also start working on the 
revision of the Guidelines for Generic Official Cer tificate Formats and the Production and Issuance of 
Certificates and will consider draft Principles a nd 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. 
IV. REVIEW OF CODEX COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND MANDATES OF CODEX 
COMMITTEES AND TASK FORCES 
10. As a follow-up to the Joint FAO/WHO Evaluation of the Codex Alimentarius and Other FAO 
and WHO Work on Food Standards , conducted in 2002, and the ongoing implementation of its 
recommendations by Codex, a team of consultant s was recruited in September 2004 to conduct a 
review of the Codex Committee structure and the mandates of Codex Committees and Task Forces, with a view to formulating recommendations for co nsideration by the Commission.  A Final Report 
by the consultants has been circulated for go vernment comments and will be discussed at the 56
th 
Session of the Executive Committee, followed by the 28th Codex Alimentarius Commission 
(July 2005). 
V. FAO/WHO PROJECT AND TRUST FUND FOR ENHANCED PARTICIPATION IN 
CODEX 
11. The Codex Trust Fund became operational in March 2004.  During the March to 
December 2004 period, a total of 83 participan ts from 75 countries attended 14 separate Codex 
meetings, utilizing US$561,297 of funding from th e Codex Trust Fund.  As of 31 December 2004, 
nine national governments and the European Community had contributed a total of US$1,543,090.   
12. The main objective of the Codex Trust Fund is to enhance participation of Codex Member 
States, especially least developed countries, in the work of Codex Alimentarius.  It has been 
recognized that active participation of Member St ates in Codex significantly enhances the countries’ 
ability to further develop their food safety systems, and thereby their capacity to protect the health of 
their citizens as it relates to food and to promot e food trade, nationally and internationally. 
13. In 2005, a total amount of US$1,073,926 is expected to be flowing into the Trust Fund, 
thanks to the contributions from Canada, the European Community, Germany, Sweden and the 
Netherlands.  Applications for support in  2005 from the Codex Trust Fund closed 
on 31 December 2004.  Ninety-one countries a pplied for support to send nearly three hundred 
participants to Codex meetings in 2005.  Appli cation forms for support, by way of Codex meeting G/TBT/GEN/22 
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 attendance, training and other activities in 2006, are expected to be available on the WHO, FAO and 
Codex web sites from July 2005, together with full deta ils of eligibility and application procedure.    
14. Further information can be found on the web site of the Codex Trust Fund: 
   http://www.who.int/foodsafety/codex/trustfund/en/
 
 VI. MEMBERSHIP OF THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION 
15. The membership currently comprises 171 Member Nations and one Member Organization.   
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  G/TBT/GEN/22 
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 ANNEX 
 
STANDARDS AND RELATED TEXTS SUBMITTED TO THE CODEX 
ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION FOR ADOPTION 
 
CODEX BODY DOCUMENT 
CCFAC Draft and proposed draft food additive pr ovisions of the General Standard for Food 
Additives 
CCFAC Draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Aflatoxin Contamination in 
Tree Nuts 
CCFAC Draft Code of Practice for the Prevention and Reduction of Tin Contamination in 
Canned Foods 
CCFAC Draft Maximum Levels for cadmium in wheat grain;  potato;  stem and root vegetables;  
leafy vegetables;  and, other vegetables 
CCFAC Proposed draft amendments to the Intern ational Numbering System for Food Additives 
CCFAC Specifications for the Identity and Pu rity of Food Additives arising from the 63rd JECFA 
meeting 
CCFAC Proposed draft revision of the Preamble of  the General Standard for Contaminants and 
Toxins in Foods (GSCTF) (N09-2004) 
CCFFP Draft Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (section on Aquaculture) 
CCFFP Draft Amendment to the Standard for Salted Fish and Dried Salted Fish of the Gadidae  
Family 
CCFFP Proposed Draft Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (Shrimps and Prawns;  
Cephalopods;  Transport;  Reta il;  and relevant Definitions) 
CCFFV Proposed draft Standard for Ranbutan 
CCFICS Proposed draft Principles for Electronic Certification 
CCFO Proposed draft Amendment to the Standard  for Named Vegetable Oil;  Amendment of 
Sesame Seed Oil 
CCFO Proposed Draft Revised Table 1 of the Reco mmended International Code of Practice for 
the Storage and Transport of Edible Fats and Oils in Bulk 
CCMH Draft Code of Hygienic Practice for Meat 
CCNEA Proposed Draft Regional Guidelines for Codex Contact Points and National Codex 
Committees 
CCNFSDU Draft Guidelines for Vitamin and Mineral Food Supplements 
CCPR Draft and Proposed Draft Maximum Residue Levels for Pesticides  G/TBT/GEN/22 
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 CODEX BODY DOCUMENT 
CCPR Proposed Draft Interim MRLs  
CCPR Proposed Draft MRLs for Spices  
CCPR Proposed Draft Guidelines on the Use of Mass Spectrometry (MS) for Identification, 
Confirmation and Quantitative Determination of Residues 
CCPR Proposed New Codes and Numbers for Commodities with Adopted MRLs 
CCRVDF Draft Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs  
CCRVDF Proposed Draft Maximum Residue Limits for Veterinary Drugs 
CCRVDF Proposed Draft Code of Practice to Minimize and Contain Antimicrobial Resistance 
TFFVJ Draft Codex General Standard for Fruit Juices and Nectars 
TFFVJ Draft Minimum Brix Level for Recons tituted 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   
TFFVJ Proposed Draft Minimum Brix Level for Reconstituted Juice and Reconstituted Purée 
and Minimum Juice and/or Purée Content for Fruit Nectars (% v/v)  lemon, lime, orange 
and pineapple juices/nectars   
 
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