Session 1 Protecting consumers and ensuring choice

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Session 1Protecting consumers and ensuring choice

• CropLife International Annual Conference June 3,
  2004

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Importance of regulation for sustainability and
health protection

• Jørgen Schlundt
• Director, WHO Food Safety Department
• Bruxelles
• 03.06.04

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Overview

• Context
• Regulations
• International harmonization
• Codex Alimentarius
• WTO SPS Agreement
• Health, trade and development
• Concluding remarks

CropLife International Annual Conference, 3 June
2004, Brussels, Belgium
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Ethics
Food Safety in the air
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Context

• Food borne diseases important determinant for
  public health
• Globalization of food production and distribution
  pose increased risk to safety of food
• Increased emphasis on safeguards throughout the
  food chain

CropLife International Annual Conference, 3 June
2004, Brussels, Belgium
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Global Food security

• inequity in the distribution of food
• the right to safe and nutritious food
• food standard setting and development

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Inequity and food

• Initiatives to decrease inequity have largely
  failed
• Look into enabling access to food markets
• Promote public good use of new technologies
• Safety rules is seen by some to impede this
• Safety evaluation needs an international scope

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International concernsfood safety standards

• do food safety standards favour interests of
  developed nations
• by considering solutions relevant to developed
  countries?
• by using experts from developed countries?
• by denying producers access to markets?

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Food Safety New DirectionsFocused intervention

• Survey foodborne disease and food contamination
• Assess the risk and the factors affecting it
• Define efficient intervention(s) and monitor
  effect

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Risk Analysis
Risk Assessment
Risk Management
? Science based Explanation
? Policy based Implementation
Risk Communication
? Interactive exchange of information and
opinions concerning risks
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Regulations

• Regulations important mechanisms to ensure the
  safety of food
• Harmonized regulations should serve the needs of
  both developed and developing countries
• International harmonization of science-based
  standards provide equal trading opportunities
• Require substantial investment for (developing)
  countries and private sector
• Create opportunities

CropLife International Annual Conference, 3 June
2004, Brussels, Belgium
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International harmonizationFAO/WHO Codex
Alimentarius

• Establishment of international food safety
  standards
• Based on risk assessments (JECFA, JMPR, JEMRA, Ad
  hoc Consultations)
• Codex Trust Fund for enhanced participation of
  developing countries in Codex

CropLife International Annual Conference, 3 June
2004, Brussels, Belgium
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Health, trade and development

• Win-Win situation
• Harmonized standards facilitate international
  trade
• International trade disputes trigger
• reform of national (public) food safety systems
• Implementation of risk management systems (e.g.
  GAP, GMP, HACCP) by private sector
• Developed countries should not create trade
  barriers by establishing unnecessarily strict
  safety standards

CropLife International Annual Conference, 3 June
2004, Brussels, Belgium
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Improving Food Safety Developing countries
Win-Win
Improved food safety less illness, medical and
social costs, poverty
Food trade access international trade
capability safe national trade
Improved health improved participation in
development
Development
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Health, trade and developmentUltimate goal from
WHO perspective

• Enhanced consumer health protection through
• strengthened national food safety infrastructure
  (institutions, policy, legislation, enforcement,
  interaction with responsible private sector)
• as a result of sustainable economic development
  and improved market access built on equitable
  international standards

CropLife International Annual Conference, 3 June
2004, Brussels, Belgium
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Food Safety in developing countries- the future
Production for export - economic development
Improved Food Safety Systems
National food safety - improved health
The systems approach
Potential development
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International harmonizationWTO SPS Agreement

• Members have right to take sanitary and
  phyto-sanitary measures to protect health
• Measures should be based on risk assessment
• Members have obligation to harmonize with
  international standards (e.g. Codex)
• Members have obligation to assist developing
  countries (Art. 9)

CropLife International Annual Conference, 3 June
2004, Brussels, Belgium
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Concluding remarks

• WHO's role
• Guide and Support Codex
• Provide scientific advice
• Enhance participation of developing countries
  through Codex Trust Fund
• Focuse capacity building, in co-operation with
  FAO and STDF (WB, WTO, FAO, WHO, OIE, Codex and
  IPPC)

CropLife International Annual Conference, 3 June
2004, Brussels, Belgium
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