77 FR 28 pgs. 7125-7126 - Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on General Principles
Type: NOTICEVolume: 77Number: 28Pages: 7125 - 7126
Docket number: [Docket No. FSIS-2012-0003]
FR document: [FR Doc. 2012-3060 Filed 2-9-12; 8:45 am]
Agency: Agriculture Department
Sub Agency: Food Safety and Inspection Service
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. FSIS-2012-0003]
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on General Principles
AGENCY:
Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA.
ACTION:
Notice of public meeting and request for comments.
SUMMARY:
The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sponsoring a public meeting on March 28, 2012. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States (U.S.) positions that will be discussed at the 27th session of the Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will be held in Paris, France, April 2-6, 2012. The Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the 27th session of the CCGP and to address items on the agenda.
DATES:
The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, 2012, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
ADDRESSES:
The public meeting will be held at the Jamie L. Whitten Building, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250.
Documents related to the 27th session of CCGP will be accessible via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/ .
Karen Stuck, U.S. Delegate to the 27th session of the CCGP, invites U.S. interested parties to submit their comments electronically to the following email address: USCODEX@fsis.usda.gov.
Call-In Number
If you wish to participate in the public meeting for the 27th session of the CCGP 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 27th Session of the CCGP Contact: Karen Stuck, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 4861, Washington, DC 20250, telephone: (202) 205-7760, fax: (202) 720-3157 email: USCODEX@fsis.usda.gov.
For Further Information About the Public Meeting Contact: Barbara McNiff, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 4861, Washington, DC 20250. Telephone: +1 (202) 205-7760, fax: +1 (202) 720-3157, email: USCODEX@fsis.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. 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 protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the food trade.
The CCGP is responsible for dealing with procedural and general matters referred to it by Codex, for proposing amendments to the Codex Procedural Manual, and for reviewing and endorsing procedural provisions and texts forwarded by Codex committees for inclusion in the Procedural Manual.
The Committee is hosted by France.
Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting
The following items on the agenda for the 27th session of the CCGP will be discussed during the public meeting:
• Matters Referred to the CCGP.
• Issues Surrounding Codex Standards Held at Step 8.
• Mechanism for Examining Economic Impact Statements.
• Review of the Risk Analysis Policies of Codex Committees.
• Definition of the Term "Hazard".
• Proposed Amendment to the Terms of Reference of the Committee.
• Development of Joint Codex-World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Standards.
• Distribution of Codex Documents and Length and Content of Meeting Reports.
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 March 28, 2012, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the agenda items will be described and 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 27th session of the CCGP, Karen Stuck (see ADDRESSES ). Written comments should state that they relate to activities of the 27th session of the CCGP.
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
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, and audiotape) 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., 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 February 6, 2012.
Karen Stuck,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2012-3060 Filed 2-9-12; 8:45 am]
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