[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 3 (Wednesday, January 6, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 843-844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-165]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
[Docket No. 98-063N]
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on
Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems
AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring public
meetings on January 13, 1999, and February 3, 1999, to provide
information and receive public comments on agenda items that will be
discussed at the Seventh Session of the Codex Committee on Food Import
and Export Inspection and Certification Systems (CCFICS), in Melbourne,
Australia, February 22-26, 1999. The Office of the Under Secretary and
FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the
opportunity to obtain background information on the Seventh Session of
the CCFICS and to address items on the agenda.
DATES: The public meetings are scheduled for Wednesday, January 13,
1999, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and Wednesday, February 3, 1999,
from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The public meetings will be held in Room 1813, 200 C Street,
SW, Washington, DC. Send an original and two copies of comments to:
FSIS Docket Clerk, Docket Number 98-063N, 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: Patrick J. Clerkin, Associate U.S.
Manager for Codex, U.S. Codex Office, Food Safety and Inspection
Service, Room 4861, South Agriculture Building, 1400 Independence
Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700. Telephone: (202) 205-7760; Fax:
(202) 720-3157.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) was established in 1962
by two
[[Page 844]]
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.
CCFICS was established to develop principles and guidelines for
food import and export inspection and certification systems; the
application of measures by competent authorities of importing and
exporting countries to provide assurance that foods comply with
essential requirements; the utilization of quality assurance systems;
and the format and content of official certificates.
Issues to be Discussed at the Public Meetings
The following issues will be discussed during the public meetings:
Draft Guidelines for the Development of Equivalence
Agreements Regarding Food Import and Export Inspection and
Certification Systems at Step 7
Proposed Draft Guidelines/Recommendations for Food Import
Control Systems (New Work)
Proposed Draft Guidelines and Criteria for Official
Certificate Formats and Rules Relating to the Production and Issuance
of Certificates (New Work)
Discussion Paper on Issues Relating to the Judgement of
Equivalence
Discussion Paper on the Utilization and Promotion of
Quality Assurance Systems
Discussion Paper on Guidelines for the Establishment of a
Database on Importing Country Legislation
In advance of these meetings, the U.S. Delegate to CCFICS will have
assigned the responsibility for development of U.S. positions on these
issues to various members of the federal government. The individuals
assigned will be named at the January 13 public meeting.
Additionally, at the January 13 public meeting, the issues will be
described and discussed, and attendees will have the opportunity to ask
questions and offer comments. At the February 3 public meeting, draft
U.S. positions on the issues will be described and discussed, and
attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and offer
comments. During the public meetings, all interested parties are
invited to provide information and comments on the above issues or any
other issues that may be brought before CCFICS. Comments may also be
sent to the FSIS Docket Clerk (see ADDRESSES). Please state that your
comments relate to CCFICS activities and specify which issues your
comments address.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex.
[FR Doc. 99-165 Filed 1-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P
