74. The Delegation of Norway, on behalf of the drafting group, introduced the document. The Delegation stated that international trade between regions with difference in prevalence of foodborne pathogens has important public health implications and should be taken into account, as was the case for animal trade in accordance with the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement).
75. The Delegation of the Netherlands, on behalf of the Members of the EU, supported by some delegations, expressed the view that the countries or regions, which naturally or through control measures enjoyed a lower prevalence of certain foodborne pathogen, should be recognized when applying microbiological risk assessment in relation to food and feed trade.
76. Other delegations were of the opinion that the SPS Agreement readily provided a framework for such recognition of certain areas and that Codex needed not to play a role in the area where the Office international des epizooties provided an appropriate forum for implementing control measures for zoonotic disease. A number of delegations pointed out that epidemiological and other scientific data currently available did not allow for an objective comparison between different countries or regions to determine such disease free or low prevalence areas although such an exercise might become possible in the future. Under these circumstances, this initiative might lead to the creation of unintentional trade barriers. Several delegations stressed the importance of risk prevention as a goal of further work in this area.
77. The Delegation of the Netherlands stated that this new exercise could start by making use of data available at present. The Delegation of Sweden indicated that his country had successfully controlled Salmonella in foods through the measures at the source and that its level of public health protection should be respected.
78. The Committee felt that this issue deserved further discussion. Although some delegations indicated that this issue was related to the issue discussed under Agenda Item 11, it was agreed that government comments should be sought by a separate Circular Letter to avoid confusion, however the relationship between the two documents should be stressed.
79. The Committee agreed to circulate the working document for government comments in the light of Article 6 of the SPS Agreement (Adaptation to Regional Conditions, Including Pest- or Disease Free Areas and Areas of Low Pest or Disease Prevalence). The Committee agreed that the Delegation of Norway, with assistance from Denmark, France, India, Sweden and the United States prepare a revised discussion paper, taking government comments into consideration, for discussion at the next session of the Committee. Government comments received by Norway should be made available to France to be used in the paper on management of microbiological hazard for foods in international trade (see paragraph 73).
