85. The Representative of INCAP/PAHO presented the activities of this Institute in the area of food security, nutrition, including food fortification, nutrition and labelling, sanitary and toxicological protection. He pointed out the problems related to the organization of food control infrastructures and National Codex Committees in the region. He stressed the importance of strengthening NCCs and food inspection services in the Region so that they could operate effectively.
86. Several countries pointed out that their National Codex Committees and Codex Contact Points were operating effectively. Other countries stressed their difficulties to organize Codex work at the national level and the necessity for technical assistance in this area. The Committee noted that FAO had provided support to several countries in the Region through the organization of national or regional seminars or projects and that such activities would continue as a high priority.
87. As regard the Draft Regional Guidelines prepared by the Coordinating Committee for Asia and proposed for the consideration of other Coordinating Committees, several delegations expressed the view that they did not correspond to the situations in their countries and in the region as a whole. In accordance with the suggestion of Chile, they felt that such guidelines were not necessary as the situation differed significantly from one country to another and in many cases, national Codex Committees and Codex Contact Points were already operating satisfactorily.
88. Some delegations however suggested that specific guidelines could be developed in the region. The Committee concluded that the CCASIA Draft Guidelines could not be adopted in the region, and that a Circular Letter should request government comments on the opportunity of elaborating regional guidelines for Latin America and the Caribbean.
89. In relation with to facilitate Codex work, the Delegation of Chile proposed to promote the decentralization of Committees, to make a wider use of modern means of communication (electronic mail and Internet) and to strengthen the Codex Secretariat. The Committee concurred with these proposals.
