FAO-WHO Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators

GF/INF 7

FAO/WHO Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators
Palais des Congrès, Marrakesh, Morocco
28-30 January 2002

Information Note

The need for a Global Forum
The Global Forum theme
Participants
Where to obtain more information

The need for a Global Forum

All the people of the world have a fundamental right to food that is not only nutritious and of good quality, but safe. Modern science and technology have expanded our ability to produce, process and distribute food worldwide. However, our knowledge and our understanding of the hazards associated with foods have not necessarily kept pace.

Each country has a system designed to exert a degree of control over their national food supply and its safety. These systems vary widely in both their sophistication and in their capacity to react to national food safety problems. An adequate food control system must have procedures to routinely assure food quality and safety and it must be able to respond quickly and effectively to food safety emergencies as they arise. Some of these emergencies may result from the globalization of food trade: it may originate in neighbouring countries or from more distant trading partners.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has always given high priority to programmes and activities to improve food quality, safety and consumer protection. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also had a continuing commitment to the fundamental principle that ensuring food safety is an essential activity and an integral part of any public health programme.

FAO and WHO plan to jointly convene a Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators to promote the exchange of information on approaches and experiences in dealing with current food safety issues of importance to public health and international food trade. The Forum aims to advance the process of science-based public consultations and to facilitate capacity building, particularly in developing countries.

Never before has there been a circumstance or opportunity for food regulators from every region of the world to meet together to consider, discuss and share experiences on food safety issues that are of concern to everyone, not only nationally but regionally and globally as well. This Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators will provide that opportunity.

The Global Forum theme

The primary purpose of the Forum is to share information and experiences. The central theme is, "Improving efficiency and transparency in food safety systems - sharing experiences." It will concentrate on four food safety topics within the framework of that theme:

Regulatory Issues - Recent history has shown that national food safety emergencies can suddenly become international. Coping with such trans-boundary regulatory issues has become a global concern and the exchange of information and views at the Forum will be invaluable. Also, advances in food inspection techniques and the laboratory sciences can have a profound effect on food safety regulations. The ways individual governments change or create new regulations to reflect these advances are expected to be of considerable interest.

Risk Management - The reduction of food-borne hazards is the ultimate risk management goal of all food safety regulators. New hazards are constantly emerging, however, making risk management a continuously changing and challenging process. Food safety regulators need to discuss ways this process may be improved. In addition, the management of food safety is not just of concern at the consumer level; it must be considered throughout the food chain, from production through processing, distribution and consumption. Food regulators need to consider integrated approaches to risk management in food safety and what roles the food industry and consumers can play.

Capacity Building - Over the years, many donor countries or agencies, both national and international, have provided technical assistance in the food safety area to developing countries. The Global Forum will enable the sharing of experiences from both developed and developing countries and a discussion of the lessons learned. This will provide valuable guidance on how such assistance can be made more effective and responsive to the real needs of the developing world. In addition, traditional approaches to technical assistance and capacity building may no longer be sufficient with today's rapidly changing global technology. The Forum will discuss these changes and what new approaches might be considered.

Communication and Participation - Information on food safety regulations and routine risk management decisions must be widely disseminated, especially to industry and consumers, if they are to be effective. The Forum will consider the practical approaches can be taken to improve communications with and participation by consumers and other interested and involved parties. In addition, risk assessors and risk managers must be able to effectively and efficiently communicate and interact with each other if the food safety risk analysis process is to be successful. Many of the food regulators attending the Forum will be risk assessors as well as risk managers. The Forum will provide the means to discuss ways to improve such communication and interaction.

Participants

Participants in the Global Forum will come from national regulatory authorities responsible for food safety. All the member countries of FAO and WHO will participate. In addition, international organizations, including the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Office of Epizootics (OIE), the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and other development agencies will be invited to participate as observers. Further, relevant international non-governmental organizations and representatives of civil society will be invited to attend as observers.

FAO and WHO will issue a summary report immediately following the Forum and will arrange for publication of the complete Forum Proceedings. Governments, organizations and other interested parties will be encouraged to make full use of the Proceedings to advance food safety programmes worldwide.

Where to obtain more information

For those who have access to the Internet, a Global Forum web site has been established that will include all Forum information presently available and will include both the summary report and the Forum proceedings when they are prepared. The website can be accessed at www.foodsafetyforum.org.

Mail inquiries should be sent to:

The Joint Secretariat of the Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators
c/o Food Quality and Standards Service
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome
Italy
Fax. No.: + 39 06 57054593
Email Address: [email protected]

and to

The Joint Secretariat of the Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators
c/o Food Safety Programme
World Health Organization
20, Avenue Appia
CH-1211 Geneva 27
Switzerland
Fax. No.: + 41 22 7914807
Email Address: [email protected]



	GF/INF 7
FAO/WHO Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators Palais des Congrès, Marrakesh, Morocco 28-30 January 2002 Information Note The need for a Global Forum The Global Forum theme Participants Where to obtain more information The need for a Global Forum All the people of the world have a fundamental right to food that is not only nutritious and of good quality, but safe. Modern science and technology have expanded our ability to produce, process and distribute food worldwide. However, our knowledge and our understanding of the hazards associated with foods have not necessarily kept pace. Each country has a system designed to exert a degree of control over their national food supply and its safety. These systems vary widely in both their sophistication and in their capacity to react to national food safety problems. An adequate food control system must have procedures to routinely assure food quality and safety and it must be able to respond quickly and effectively to food safety emergencies as they arise. Some of these emergencies may result from the globalization of food trade: it may originate in neighbouring countries or from more distant trading partners. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has always given high priority to programmes and activities to improve food quality, safety and consumer protection. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also had a continuing commitment to the fundamental principle that ensuring food safety is an essential activity and an integral part of any public health programme. FAO and WHO plan to jointly convene a Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators to promote the exchange of information on approaches and experiences in dealing with current food safety issues of importance to public health and international food trade. The Forum aims to advance the process of science-based public consultations and to facilitate capacity building, particularly in developing countries. Never before has there been a circumstance or opportunity for food regulators from every region of the world to meet together to consider, discuss and share experiences on food safety issues that are of concern to everyone, not only nationally but regionally and globally as well. This Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators will provide that opportunity. The Global Forum theme The primary purpose of the Forum is to share information and experiences. The central theme is, "Improving efficiency and transparency in food safety systems - sharing experiences." It will concentrate on four food safety topics within the framework of that theme: Regulatory Issues - Recent history has shown that national food safety emergencies can suddenly become international. Coping with such trans-boundary regulatory issues has become a global concern and the exchange of information and views at the Forum will be invaluable. Also, advances in food inspection techniques and the laboratory sciences can have a profound effect on food safety regulations. The ways individual governments change or create new regulations to reflect these advances are expected to be of considerable interest. Risk Management - The reduction of food-borne hazards is the ultimate risk management goal of all food safety regulators. New hazards are constantly emerging, however, making risk management a continuously changing and challenging process. Food safety regulators need to discuss ways this process may be improved. In addition, the management of food safety is not just of concern at the consumer level; it must be considered throughout the food chain, from production through processing, distribution and consumption. Food regulators need to consider integrated approaches to risk management in food safety and what roles the food industry and consumers can play. Capacity Building - Over the years, many donor countries or agencies, both national and international, have provided technical assistance in the food safety area to developing countries. The Global Forum will enable the sharing of experiences from both developed and developing countries and a discussion of the lessons learned. This will provide valuable guidance on how such assistance can be made more effective and responsive to the real needs of the developing world. In addition, traditional approaches to technical assistance and capacity building may no longer be sufficient with today's rapidly changing global technology. The Forum will discuss these changes and what new approaches might be considered. Communication and Participation - Information on food safety regulations and routine risk management decisions must be widely disseminated, especially to industry and consumers, if they are to be effective. The Forum will consider the practical approaches can be taken to improve communications with and participation by consumers and other interested and involved parties. In addition, risk assessors and risk managers must be able to effectively and efficiently communicate and interact with each other if the food safety risk analysis process is to be successful. Many of the food regulators attending the Forum will be risk assessors as well as risk managers. The Forum will provide the means to discuss ways to improve such communication and interaction. Participants Participants in the Global Forum will come from national regulatory authorities responsible for food safety. All the member countries of FAO and WHO will participate. In addition, international organizations, including the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the International Office of Epizootics (OIE), the World Trade Organization, the World Bank and other development agencies will be invited to participate as observers. Further, relevant international non-governmental organizations and representatives of civil society will be invited to attend as observers. FAO and WHO will issue a summary report immediately following the Forum and will arrange for publication of the complete Forum Proceedings. Governments, organizations and other interested parties will be encouraged to make full use of the Proceedings to advance food safety programmes worldwide. Where to obtain more information For those who have access to the Internet, a Global Forum web site has been established that will include all Forum information presently available and will include both the summary report and the Forum proceedings when they are prepared. The website can be accessed at www.foodsafetyforum.org. Mail inquiries should be sent to: The Joint Secretariat of the Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators c/o Food Quality and Standards Service Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00100 Rome Italy Fax. No.: + 39 06 57054593 Email Address: [email protected] and to The Joint Secretariat of the Global Forum of Food Safety Regulators c/o Food Safety Programme World Health Organization 20, Avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27 Switzerland Fax. No.: + 41 22 7914807 Email Address: [email protected]