MERCOSUR
38. The Delegation of Uruguay informed the Committee of the activities of Sub-Group 3. Technical Regulations concerning the elimination of technical barriers to trade and the achievement of regional integration. The support of FAO would be needed to carry out a project on conformity evaluation, in order to facilitate mutual recognition of national inspection systems. It was noted that FAO was currently considering the feasibility of a TCP in this area.
39. The Delegation of Brazil stressed the increase in commercial exchanges since the creation of MERCOSUR, and indicated that the harmonization of regulations in the region was largely based on Codex standards and recommendations.
40. The Delegation of Argentina informed the Committee of the activities of Sub-Group 8. Agriculture concerning zoo- and phytosanitary matters and indicated its wish to host a training course on Risk Analysis for countries in the Region with technical assistance from FAO.
41. The Observer from Consumers International stated that the objective of the Consumers Association of MERCOSUR (ACOM), created in 1994, was to achieve the improvement of consumer protection and that proposals for joint action in this area had been presented to the authorities of MERCOSUR.
CENTRAL AMERICA
42. The Delegation of Costa Rica indicated that in the framework of the project of “Training and assistance in the certification of non-traditional products in Central America, Belize and Panama” FAO and ILSI held a joint International Seminar/Workshop on Harmonization of Food Standards which identified the difficulties faced by Central America due to lack of resources. The following priorities were defined to facilitate regional integration: strengthening National Codex Committees; harmonization with Codex texts; promotion of industry participation; creation of a group of advisers to achieve the harmonization of standards.
CARICOM
43. The Delegation of Cuba referred to the harmonization process in the framework of CARICOM on the basis of Codex standards and indicated that the PanAmerican Commission on Technical Standards (COPANT) had also decided to adopt Codex standards in order to harmonize PanAmerican food standards.
