23. The Committee noted that the Executive Committee at its 43rd Session adopted the Proposed Draft Guidelines at Step 5. Following the suggestion of the CCGP to circulate the Draft Guidelines to other regional committees, the Coordinating Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean had studied the Guidelines and expressed its view, which was similar to that expressed at the last session of this Committee, that due to different systems and situations, it was difficult to apply the Draft Guidelines worldwide.
24. Noting the important roles of Codex Contact Points and national Codex committees, many delegations commended Thailand for providing an excellent and useful model of Codex Contact Point and national Codex committees and supported the advancement of the Draft Guidelines to Step 8 for adoption as regional Guidelines. Stressing the importance of involving consumers in Codex work, the Observer from Consumers International stated that national Codex committees are the only instrument for consumers to participate in Codex work and supported the advancement.
25. The Representative of FAO also emphasized the importance of Codex Contact Points and national Codex committees and the need to strengthening their functions, such as receiving Codex documents and distributing them, coordination of Codex work, utilizing and promoting Codex recommendations in the framework of SPS/TBT Agreements. He reported on a number of FAO projects to assist implementation of Codex Contacts Points and national Codex committees. The Representative of WHO stated that WHO had been promoting more active country participation in Codex work and that regional guidelines would be a useful tool for Codex Contact Points in the countries in the Region.
26. The Committee decided to advance the Draft Guidelines to Step 8 for adoption by the Commission as Asian Regional Guidelines.
27. In addition, in order to clarify the role of Codex Contact Points and to provide for guidance for their effective operations, the Committee agreed to refer the following proposed core functions of Codex Contact Points to the CCGP for consideration for inclusion in the Procedural Manual:
Proposed Core functions of Codex Contact Points
1 Act as the link between the Codex Secretariat and Member countries, the various concerned ministries within each Member Country, private sectors such as the food industry and consumer organizations, the scientific community and individuals with special interests or scientific qualifications;
2 Coordinate all relevant Codex activities within their own countries;
3 Receive all Codex final texts (standards, codes of practice, guidelines and other advisory texts) and working documents of Codex sessions and ensure that they are circulated to those concerned within their own countries;
4 Send comments on Codex documents or proposals to the Codex Alimentarius Commission or its subsidiary bodies and/or the Codex Secretariat;
5 Work in close cooperation with national Codex committees; where such a committee has not been established the Codex Contact Point acts as the liaison point with the food industry, consumers, traders and all other concerned to ensure that the government is provided with an appropriate balance of policy and technical advice upon which to base decisions relating to issues raised in the context of the Codex work;
6 Act as a channel for the exchange of information and coordination of activities with other Codex Members;
7 Receive the invitation to Codex sessions and inform the relevant chairpersons and the Codex Secretariat participants of their own countries.
8 Maintain a library of Codex final texts; and
9 Promote Codex texts and activities throughout their own countries.
