Codex Report (ALINORM 09/32/REP), 29 June - 4 July 2009
The following is the Executive Summary taken from the full report. The full report can be found on the Codex web site at: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/download/report/728/al32REPe.pdf
The Commission:
a) Adopted several amendments to the Procedural Manual;
b) Adopted 28 new or revised Codex standards or related texts or amendments to these texts and many new or revised provisions for additives and MRLs for pesticides and veterinary drugs;
c) Approved several new work proposals and proposals for discontinuation of work;
d) Considered several matters referred by its subsidiary bodies or pending from earlier sessions; agreed to postpone the decision on possible new work on animal feeding until its 33rd Session; and addressed the use of the lactoperoxydase system for milk and milk products in international trade;
e) Noted the Codex budget and expenditure for 2008-2009; was informed that the 2010-2011 budget would be maintained at the same level as in the 2008-2009 biennium; expressed its gratitude to FAO and WHO for these resources and to the host governments for their in-kind contributions; was informed that FAO, as part of its reform, was implementing results-based budgeting and management; and agreed that the use of Portuguese as a language of interpretation in the Coordinating Committee for Africa would be continued;
f) Noted the status of implementation of the Strategic Plan 2008-2013; considered the Evaluation of the Capacity of the Codex Secretariat; did not support the recommendation to return to biennial sessions of the Commission; and agreed to refer all other recommendations to the 63rd Session of the Executive Committee and the 33rd Session of the Commission;
g) Agreed to ask the Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables to consider the possibility of extending its mandate to cover fruit juices; and agreed to discontinue discussion on the merging or dissolving of committees until there was a need to do so in the future;
h) Agreed on several recommendations intended to improve the participation of developing countries, especially as regards capacity building and the Codex Trust Fund;
i) Supported continued cooperation and coordination with international governmental and nongovernmental organizations;
j) Noted the FAO/WHO Budgets for Codex-related Activities 2008-09 and 2010-11 and expressed its appreciation to FAO and WHO for their ongoing activities in the areas of scientific advice and capacity building in food safety and quality;
k) Elected the following Officers of the Commission:
l) Appointed the following members as Regional Coordinators: Ghana (Africa), Indonesia (Asia), Poland (Europe), Mexico (Latin America and the Caribbean), Tunisia (Near East), Tonga (North America and South-West Pacific); and
m) Confirmed the host governments of Codex subsidiary bodies.