1) Draft Regional Guidelines for Asia
33. The Committee recalled that following the decision of the Coordinating Committee for Asia to elaborate Guidelines for Codex Contact Points and National Codex Committees, the Committee on General Principles had recommended that the document should be circulated to all Coordinating Committees in order to determine the opportunity of elaborating world-wide guidelines or regional guidelines. The Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean had expressed the view that they did not correspond to the situation in the region and the other regional Committees had not yet discussed this question. The Committee further noted that the last session of the CCASIA had forwarded the draft to the Commission at Step 8 for adoption as Regional Guidelines.
34. Several delegations expressed their support for the general principles set out in the guidelines, which provided valuable guidance as regards the general role and responsibilities of Codex Contact Points. However they pointed out that the organization and procedures proposed were too prescriptive and were not likely to facilitate Codex work in the region.
35. Some delegations indicated that in their countries, coordination was carried out by committes or other structures which considered food legislation matters in general, whether related to national, regional or international issues (including Codex); in those cases, it was not necessary to establish a separate National Codex Committee to ensure effective coordination of Codex work. The essential objective of any such body was to ensure adequate information and effective participation of all interested sectors in order to define national policy and positions on the widest basis.
36. It was also noted that the consultation mechanisms proposed in the guidelines did not correspond to current practice and were likely to create unnecessary constraints in an area where efficiency was essential. This might lengthen the decision process and delay communication when responding to Circular Letters. Some delegations also pointed out that the document did not allow for sufficient flexibility and that member countries should be able to organize their contact point and related structures in accordance with their specific requirements at the national level. It was noted that certain provisions of the guidelines could cause problems, especially the translation of Codex texts into the local language and the fact that participation of official delegates in Codex meetings could be funded by the industry.
37. The Observer from Consumers International expressed the view that the Guidelines provided a useful framework for the organization of contact points and National Codex Committees, especially as it recognized the need for effective participation of consumers and other interested sectors. The Observer drew attention to the fact that its members reported great variations in how national Codex Contact Points and Codex Committees were functioning in practice. The inclusion of such recommendations in a Codex document such as the Procedural Manual would contribute to promote consumer participation, especially in those countries where Codex structures and activities still needed to be developed. The Delegation of Sweden pointed out that the participation of consumers representatives in national delegations required careful consideration as this could facilitate their access to Codex sessions, but they might also prefer to retain their independent status; in any case they should be associated to the preparation process.
38. The Committee agreed with the view of the Delegation of Norway that general recommendations in this area were useful but should not be developed through the step procedure, as they did not relate to food safety or trade issues; they were more related to Codex working procedures and might therefore be included in the Procedural Manual. In this respect, the Committee noted that the Executive Committee would consider another proposal from CCASIA on the inclusion of a section on the essential functions of Codex Contact Points in the Procedural Manual, for consideration by the Committee on General Principles.
39. The Committee agreed that further consideration of the principles included in the guidelines would be useful but that the Guidelines as currently drafted did not correspond to the situation in the countries of the region; they could not be generally applied in Europe and should not be progressed through the Step procedure in their present form.
2) Codex activities
40. Some delegations provided updated information on the organization of Codex work in their countries, as follows. The Delegation of Italy, stressing the increased importance of Codex matters in general, indicated that a National Consultative Committee was responsible for Codex work as a whole, and operated through a number of specialized sub-committees, which included all interested sectors.
41. The Delegation of France underlined the role of official authorities in the training of consumers in Codex matters. The Delegation of Norway pointed out that although its National Committee had ceased to operate as a separate body, a number of specialized committees had assumed its coordinating role and covered all matters related to food legislation matters, including Codex work.
