Understanding Codex Documentation

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Understanding Codex Documentation

• Seminar for Codex Europe
• Warsaw 20071001

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Reports

• ALINORM xx/yy/zz
• xx is the year of the next CAC meeting
• yy is the number of the Commission meeting
• zz is specific number allocated to the committee.
  
• Example ALINORM 09/31/19 report of the next
  CCEURO.

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
3
Documents for CAC

• ALINORM is the name for all working documents for
  the CAC (including reports)
• INF information documents
• LIM documents only in original language
• CRD conference room documents, i.e. late documents

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
4
CL, circular letters

• CL are sent out between meetings to collect
  information, comments from all involved
• CL preparation has to be decided by the committee
  concerned or by CAC.
• Example CL 2007/25 NMW CL 2007/34 FL included in
  the report (ALINORM) from FL

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
5
CX working document

• Background paper for a certain agenda item
• Information
• Sometimes asking for comments in advance
• Recommendations to be considered sometimes
  specified
• Country comments

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
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CL and CX

• Background
• Description
• Recommendations to be considered
• Sometimes proposed draft standard or guideline
• Date for reply and addresses

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
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Agenda

• Agenda item 1 is the agenda
• Agenda item 2 is matters of interest
• Matters at high steps earliest on the agenda
• Each item contains a document (CX) with comments
  from members and observers

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
8
Adoption of the agenda

• When adopted, other matters can be included on
  the agenda. This has to be decided at the
  adoption of the agenda.
• Order of the agenda can be changed if agreed at
  adoption of the agenda

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
9
CX for agenda item 2

• Matters of interest from CAC and other
  committees.
• Almost always agenda item 2
• Most issues under agenda item 2 comes back under
  other point of the agenda.

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
10
Codex Procedural Manual

• Rules for the system
• Cooperation betwen committees/task forces
• Terms of reference for committees/task forces
• Definitions
• Priciples
• General decisions

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
11
Codex commodity standard

• Name of the standard
• Scope
• Description
• Essential composition and quality factors
• Food additives
• Contaminants
• Hygiene
• Weight and measures
• Labelling
• Methods of analysis and sampling

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
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Other standards

• MRL Maximum Residue Limit for pesticides,
  veterinary drugs
• General standards for labelling, hygiene,
  additives, contaminants

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg
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Related texts

• Guidelines
• Code of (hygienic) practices

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ML GL for contaminants

• The Codex maximum level (ML) for a contaminant in
  a food or feed commodity is the maximum
  concentration of that substance recommended by
  the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) to be
  legally permitted in that commodity.
• A Codex guideline level (GL) is the maximum level
  of a substance in a food or feed commodity which
  is recommended by the CAC to be acceptable for
  commodities moving in international trade. When
  the GL is exceeded, governments should decide
  whether and under what circumstances the food
  should be distributed within their territory or
  jurisdiction.

Eva Rolfsdotter Lönberg