[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23899-23901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office
[FR Doc No: 2013-09510]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2013-0018]
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius
Commission
AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sponsoring a public meeting on June
18, 2013. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information
and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States
positions that will be discussed at the Thirty-Sixth Session of the
Codex Alimentarius
[[Page 23900]]
Commission (CAC), which will take place July 1-5, 2013 in Rome, Italy.
The Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the importance of
providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background
information on the session and to address items on the agenda.
DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18, 2013 from
1:00-4:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at The Jamie L. Whitten
Building, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1400
Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250. Documents
related to the 36th Session of the CAC will be accessible via the World
Wide Web at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
The U.S. Delegate to the 36th Session of the CAC invites U.S.
interested parties to submit their comments electronically to the
following email address: Barbara.McNiff@fsis.usda.gov.
Call in Number: If you wish to participate in the public meeting
for the 36th Session of the CAC, by conference call, Please use the
call in number and participant code listed below:
Call in Number: 1-888-858-2144.
Participant Code: 6208658.
For Further Information About the 36th Session of the CAC Contact:
Barbara McNiff, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room
4861, South Building, Washington, DC 20250, Tel: (202) 690-4719 Fax:
(202) 720-3157, Email: Barbara.Mcniff@fsis.usda.gov.
For Further Information About the Public Meeting Contact: Jasmine
Curtis, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 4865,
South Building, Washington, DC 20250, Tel: (202) 690-1124 Fax: (202)
720-3157, Email: Jasmine.Curtis@fsis.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations,
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health
Organization (WHO). Through adoption of food standards, codes of
practice, and other guidelines developed by its committees, and by
promoting adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to
protect the health of consumers and ensure that fair practices are used
in the food trade.
Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting
The following items on the Agenda for the 36th Session of the CAC
will be discussed during the public meeting:
Report by the Chairperson on the 68th Session of the Executive
Committee
Reports of FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees and
Appointment of Regional Coordinators
Proposed amendments to the Procedural Manual/Comments on
Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Manual
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 at Step 5 of the Accelerated Procedure) and Comments
on Draft Standards and Related Texts submitted to the Commission for
adoption
Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5 and
Comments on Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5
Revocation of Existing Codex Standards and Related Texts
Amendments to the Codex Standards and Related Texts
Proposals for the Elaboration of New Standards and Related
Texts and for the Discontinuation of Work
Matters referred to the Commission by Codex Committees and
Task Forces
Strategic Planning of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
(a) General Implementation Status
(b) Draft Codex Strategic Plan 2014-2019
Financial and Budgetary Matters
Matters arising from FAO and WHO
(a) FAO/WHO Project and Trust Fund for Enhanced Participation in
Codex
(b) Other Matters arising from FAO and WHO
Relations between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and other
International Organizations
Election of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson and Appointment
of the Coordinators
Designation of Countries responsible for Appointing the
Chairpersons of Codex Committees and Task Forces and Schedule of
Sessions 2014-2015
Other Business
Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed,
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat prior to the Meeting. Members
of the public may access or request copies of these documents (see
ADDRESSES).
Public Meeting
At the June 18, 2013, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the
agenda items will be discussed, and attendees will have the opportunity
to pose questions and offer comments. Written comments may be offered
at the meeting or sent to the U.S. Delegate for the 36th Session of CAC
see ADDRESSES). Written comments should state that they relate to
activities of the 36th session of the CAC.
Additional Public Notification
FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal_Register_Notices/index.asp.
FSIS will also make copies of this Federal Register publication
available through the FSIS Constituent Update, which is used to provide
information regarding FSIS policies, procedures, regulations, Federal
Register notices, FSIS public meetings, and other types of information
that could affect or would be of interest to constituents and
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free
electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade groups,
consumer interest groups, health professionals, and other individuals
who have asked to be included. The Update is also available on the FSIS
Web page. In addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail subscription
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food
safety news and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Email_Subscription/. Options range
from recalls to export information to regulations, directives, and
notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves, and have
the option to password protect their accounts.
USDA Nondiscrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs,
sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited
bases apply to all programs).
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape,
etc.) should contact USDA's Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and
TTY).
To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA Office of
the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW.,
[[Page 23901]]
Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TTY). USDA
is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Done at Washington, DC, on April 18, 2013.
Mary Frances Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2013-09510 Filed 4-22-13; 8:45 am]
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