Enhancing participation in Codex activities

Unit 1
Establishing and maintaining
national Codex activities

Lesson 1
What is Codex

Learner’s Notes

© FAO, 2008
 ENHANCING PARTICIPATION IN CODEX ACTIVITIES
Lesson 1.1 What is Codex - Learner’s Notes

Summary
Learning Objectives...........................................................................................1

Introduction......................................................................................................1

The Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme................................................2

Codex history....................................................................................................3

Codex Alimentarius food standards....................................................................4

Codex Procedural Manual..................................................................................4

Statutes of the Codex........................................................................................5

Summary..........................................................................................................8

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Lesson 1.1 What is Codex - Learner’s Notes

Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:

• identify the three main FAO/WHO activities related to food standards;

• be aware of how the Codex Alimentarius Commission was established and its recent
history;
• understand the mandate of the Codex Alimentarius Commission; and
• identify the legal basis for that mandate.

Introduction
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (commonly referred to as Codex) is the body established
to develop food standards under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.

This lesson provides a brief history of the establishment of the Codex Alimentarius Commission,
a review of its mandate, and also explains its legal basis (i.e. the statutes).

The Codex Alimentarius, or the food code, has become the global reference point for
consumers, food producers and processors, national food control agencies and the international
food trade.

The Codex Alimentarius system presents a unique opportunity for all countries to join the
international community in formulating and harmonizing food standards and ensuring their
global implementation.

The mandate of Codex is to establish international food standards to protect the health of
consumers and to ensure fair practices in the food trade, while promoting coordination of food
standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations.

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The Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme

The work of FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,
www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/index_en.asp) and WHO (World Health Organization,
www.who.int/en/) with respect to food standards consists of the following three independent
yet complementary activities:

1. the provision of scientific advice by expert bodies and meetings established by FAO and
WHO;
2. the elaboration of food standards by the Codex Alimentarius Commission taking
into consideration the scientific advice provided by FAO and WHO; and
3. the creation of capacity building programmes related to strengthening food control
systems taking into account the standards developed by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission.

Table I: Complementary activities

Activity Description
1. Provision of FAO and WHO implement a joint programme to provide scientific advice
scientific advice to:
• the Codex Alimentarius Commission and its subsidiary bodies;
• member countries.

FAO/WHO scientific advice is provided through two main mechanisms:

• expert bodies that have a permanent joint secretariat (e.g. the Joint
FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives – JECFA); o r
• ad hoc expert consultations or meetings established to address a
specific food safety issue (e.g. The Joint FAO/WHO Expert
Consultation on Evaluation of Allergenicity of Genetically Modified
Foods).
2. Elaboration of
The Codex Alimentarius Commission develops science-based standards
food standards
taking into account the scientific advice provided by FAO/WHO expert
bodies and ad hoc consultations and meetings.
The Commission undertakes its standard setting work through a
number of subsidiary bodies (Committees and Task Forces).
3. Creation of
FAO and WHO also complement the work of the Codex Alimentarius
capacity building
programmes Commission through well-established capacity-building programmes on
food safety and quality.

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Lesson 1.1 What is Codex - Learner’s Notes

In order to be in a position to implement and comply with Codex

standards, countries need adequate food legislation, as well as an
effective infrastructure (inspection and laboratory functions), with
adequate technical and administrative support.
For many years, FAO and WHO have been providing assistance to
developing countries to strengthen national food control infrastructures
and to assist countries to more effectively participate in the work of the
Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Codex history
The Statutes of the Codex Commission were adopted by its parent organizations, FAO and
WHO, and the Commission held its first meeting in Rome, Italy in June 1963.

Establishing the Codex Alimentarius Commission

The FAO Conference, which is the governing body of FAO, adopted a resolution at its 11th
Session (November 1961) to set up the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

During the 16th Session in May 1963, the World Health Assembly also adopted the Statutes
of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.

The first session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission was held in Rome, Italy from 25th
June to 3rd July, 1963.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission currently meets annually, and the meetings alternate
between the headquarters of the two parent organizations; Rome, Italy (FAO) and Geneva,
Switzerland (WHO).

A significant landmark in the history of Codex, 40 years after its creation, was the joint
FAO/WHO Evaluation of the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, which took place in
2002.

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Evaluation of Codex

This “Codex Evaluation” covered all aspects of the food standards work of FAO and WHO,
including capacity building and scientific advice.

The Commission considered the report of the Evaluation at an extraordinary session in

February 2003, and expressed its commitment to the implementation of the
recommendations it contained.

Since then, the necessary work has been implemented to amend the Rules of Procedure, and
to initiate reform where needed.

The Evaluation Report is available on the Codex website at:

www.codexalimentarius.net/web/evaluation_en.jsp

Codex Alimentarius food standards

The collection of food standards and related texts adopted by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission is known as the Codex Alimentarius.
The term “Codex Alimentarius” is Latin and means “food code”.
The term “food standards” is used in its generic sense and includes all categories of Codex
texts, i.e. standards, recommended codes of practice and guidelines.
Below are provided some examples of different types of Codex standards.

See Annexes:
- Codex standard for avocado (StandardAvocado.pdf)
- Code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products (CACRCPmilk.pdf)
- Guidelines on the judgment of equivalence of sanitary measures
(CXG_053_guidelineequivalence.pdf)

Codex Procedural Manual

The Codex Procedural Manual is one of the most important Codex documents as it contains:

• the Statutes of the Commission;

• the Rules of Procedure; and
• additional procedural information relevant to how the Commission and its subsidiary

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bodies function.

The Commission can amend its Rules of Procedure and other text in the Codex Procedural
Manual, but only the FAO Conference and the Health Assembly of WHO can amend its Statutes.

The Codex Procedural Manual is available online at:

http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/procedural_manual.jsp

Statutes of the Codex

The Statutes of the Codex Alimentarius Commission:

• provide the legal basis for the Commission’s work;

• provide its mandate or terms of reference;
• describe the formal operating procedures; and
• reflect the concepts behind and reasons for the establishment of Codex.

Statutes of Codex

There are 10 articles in the Commission’s Statutes which provide the legal foundation for the
Commission’s operations.

The Statutes cover mandate, membership, observers, reports and recommendations, the
Executive Committee, Rules of Procedure, the establishment of Subsidiary Bodies and
allowable operating expenses.

The Statutes can be found in Section I of the Codex Procedural Manual, available on line at:
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/procedural_manual.jsp

1) The Mandate

The mandate of the Codex Alimentarius Commission is clearly specified in the first article of its
Statutes:
Article 1 – Mandate
(a) Protecting the health of consumers and ensuring fair practices in the food trade.
(b) Coordinating all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non
governmental organizations.

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(c) Determining priorities and initiating and guiding the preparation of draft standards.
(d) Finalizing standards and publishing them in a Codex Alimentarius either as regional or
worldwide standards.
(e) Amending published standards, after appropriate survey in the light of developments.

2) Membership

The second article of the Statutes provides guidance as to who may become members of
Codex:

Article 2 – Membership
Membership of the Commission is open to all Member Nations and Associate Members of FAO
and WHO that are interested in international food standards. Membership shall comprise such
of these nations as have notified the Director-General of FAO or of WHO of their desire to be
considered as Members.

The updated list of the Codex Commission’s Member Countries is available online at:
http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/members_area.jsp?lang=EN

Membership conditions

In order to become a Member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, there are two
conditions that must be met:

1. The country must be a Member of either FAO or WHO.

2. The country must notify either the Director-General of

FAO or of WHO of its wish to become a Member.

It should also be noted that membership is limited to countries only – the exception being
regional economic integration organizations (i.e. the European Community).

See Annex: Member Form (MemberForm.doc)

3) Executive Commission

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Another important article of the Statutes is the sixth, which provides for the establishment of an
Executive Committee which functions as the executive organ of the Commission:

Article 6 – Executive Committee

The Commission shall establish an Executive Committee whose composition should ensure an
adequate representation of the various geographical areas of the world to which the Members
of the Commission belong. Between sessions, the Executive Committee shall act as the
executive organ of the Commission.

More on Article 6

This Article provides for ongoing management of the Codex process between sessions of the
Commission.

The Executive Committee cannot make decisions on behalf of the Commission (e.g. authorize
new work, adopt standards), but it has responsibility for strategic planning, budgeting and
managing the standards elaboration process.

It is wise for those involved in the work of Codex to be familiar with all ten Articles of the
Statutes.

See Annex: Statutes of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Statutes.pdf)

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Summary
FAO and WHO have established the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, for the
elaboration of international food standards.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission is an intergovernmental body established to develop food

standards under the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme.

The collection of food standards and related texts adopted by the Codex Alimentarius
Commission is known as the Codex Alimentarius.

The Codex Procedural Manual contains the Statutes of the Commission, its Rules of Procedure,
and additional procedural information relevant to how the Commission and its subsidiary bodies
function.

One of the primary mandate of the Codex Commission is to protect the health of consumers
and ensure fair practices in the food trade.

In order for a country to become a member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the country
must be a member of either FAO or of WHO and it needs to notify either the Director-General
of FAO or of WHO that it wishes to become a member.

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