[Federal Register: June 6, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 109)]
[Notices]
[Page 33905-33906]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06jn03-35]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 03-019N]
Codex Alimentarius Commission: 26th Session of the Codex
Alimentarius Commission (Codex)
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting, request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sponsoring a public meeting
on June 12, 2003. The purpose of this meeting is to provide information
and receive public comments on agenda items that will be discussed at
the Twenty-sixth Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission which
will be held in Rome, Italy from June 30 to July 7, 2003. The Under
Secretary recognizes the importance of providing interested parties
with information about the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 12, 2003,
from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held in Room 107A, Whitten
Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture (Smithsonian Metro Stop),
Washington, DC 20250.
If you have comments, please send an original and two copies to:
FSIS Docket Clerk, Docket 03-019N, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food
Safety and Inspection Service, Room 102, Cotton Annex, 300 12th Street,
SW., Washington, DC 20250-3700. All comments submitted in response to
this notice will be available for public inspection in the Docket
Clerk's Office between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: F. Edward Scarbrough, Ph.D., U.S.
Manager for Codex Alimentarius, Room 4861, South Building, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250; Telephone (202) 205-7760.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) was established in 1962
by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture
Organization and the World Health Organization. Codex is the principal
international organization for encouraging fair international trade in
food and protecting the health and economic interests of consumers.
Through adoption of food standards, codes of practice, and other
guidelines developed by its committees, and by promoting their adoption
and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to ensure that the
world's food supply is sound, wholesome, free from adulteration, and
correctly labeled. Codex meets biennially. The Executive Committee
serves as the executive body of Codex between the biennial meetings.
The Provisional Agenda for the 26th Session of the Codex
Alimentarius Commission is as follows:
Part I: Introduction
1. Adoption of the Agenda
2. Report by the Chairperson on the 49th, 50th and 52nd Sessions
of the Executive Committee
3. Reports of FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees
Part II: Procedural Matters
4. Amendments to the Procedural Manual
(a) Amendments to the Rules of Procedure
(b) Other amendments to the Procedural Manual
Part III: Codex Standards and Related Texts
5. Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 8 of the Procedure
(including those submitted at Step 5 with a recommendation to omit
Steps 6 and 7 and those submitted at Step 5 of the Accelerated
Procedure)
6. Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5
7. Withdrawal or revocation of existing Codex Standards and
Related Texts
8. Proposals for the elaboration of new Standards and Related
Texts
Part IV: Policy and General Matters
9. Risk Analysis Policies of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
10. Joint FAO/WHO Evaluation of the Codex Alimentarius and other
FAO and WHO Work on Food Standards
11. FAO/WHO Trust Fund for Participation of Developing Countries
in Codex Standard-Setting
12. Other Matters arising from FAO and WHO
13. Matters arising from the reports of Codex Committees and
Task Forces
Part V: Programme and Budgetary Matters
14. Financial and Budgetary Matters 2002/2003 and Proposed
Budget 2004/2005
15. Proposed Schedule of Codex Meetings 2003-2005
Part VI: Elections and Appointments
16. Election of Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons and Election
of Members of the Executive Committee
17. Appointment of Regional Coordinators
18. Designation of Countries for Appointing the Chairpersons of
Codex Committees and Task Forces
Part VII: Other Matters
19. Other Business
20. Adoption of the Report
Public Meeting
The public meeting is scheduled on Thursday, June 12th in Room
107A, Whitten Building, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250. Attendees will hear
brief descriptions of the issues and will have the opportunity to pose
questions and offer comments.
Additional Public Notification
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy
development is important. Consequently, in an effort to better ensure
that minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this
notice, FSIS will announce it and make copies of this Federal Register
publication available through the FSIS Constituent Update. FSIS
provides a weekly Constituent Update, which is communicated via
Listserv, a free e-mail subscription service. In addition, the update
is available on-line through the FSIS Web page located at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fsis.usda.gov.
The update is used to provide information regarding
FSIS policies, procedures, regulations,
[[Page 33906]]
Federal Register notices, FSIS public meetings, recalls, and any other
types of information that could affect or would be of interest to our
constituents/stakeholders. The constituent Listserv consists of
industry, trade, and farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied
health professionals, scientific professionals, and other individuals
that have requested to be included. Through the Listserv and web page,
FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more diverse
audience.
For more information contact the Congressional and Public Affairs
Office, at (202) 720-9113. To be added to the free e-mail subscription
service (Listserv) go to the ``Constituent Update'' page on the FSIS
Web site at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/leaving.cgi?from=leavingFR.html&log=linklog&to=http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/update/update.htm.
Click on the ``Subscribe to the Constituent Update Listserv'' link,
then fill out and submit the form.
Done at Washington, DC on June 3, 2003.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 03-14300 Filed 6-5-03; 8:45 am]