|
 Codex
Alimentarius
Last
Updated March 29, 2001
Codex Alimentarius was formed in 1961 as an outgrowth
of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the
United Nations (UN) to improve world health by
establishing guidelines for food safety.
Codex
- HACCP
Last
Updated March 29, 2001
Growing demand for a harmonized food standards
in international trade fueled the Codex Alimentarious
Commission to adopt HACCP as the international
standard for food safety. Today HACCP is being
adopted worldwide, on the recommendation of the
UN's Codex Committee.
|
What should you know about the WTO before
you export ? |
| Last
update February 23, 2001 |
GATT/WTO
- Why are they important to you?
The GATT, in 1947, was a simple agreement designed
to reduce and bind (not increase) customs tariffs
(border taxes). In the four decades that followed,
the GATT became the spearhead for international
trade liberalization, through its negotiations
to reduce tariffs. Today the scope of the GATT
has expanded dramatically, bringing in agriculture
and services for the first time, and - finally
- creating the new and powerful World Trade Organization.
It has been suggested that several of the agreements
concluded during the Uruguay Round show bias towards
developed countries and multinational corporations
- in particular, the Agreement on Agriculture
(AOA) and the Trade Related Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPs). Small exporters need to be aware
of these developing GATT/WTO agreements in order
to avoid losing essential buyers in the world
market.
Agreement
on Agriculture (AoA)
The central focus of the AoA is clearly on the
introduction of mechanisms that would ensure a
better climate for agricultural trade. The agreement
requires all WTO members to convert non-tariff
trade barriers to tariffs. The agreement requires
that export subsidies be reduced and domestic
subsidies are to be cut. Finally, the agreement
reaffirms the right of WTO members to adopt and
enforce measures that they deem appropriate to
protect human, animal, or plant life or health
as long as such measures are not applied in an
"arbitrary and unjustified" manner.
Source: http://www.usinfo.state.gov/journals/ites/0599/ijee/ag-uraa2.htm
Exporters must be current on such a general agreement.
The agreement covers any procedures or standards
that might be deemed to interfere with international
trade. This includes packaging, marking and labeling
standards. The European Union (EU) has recently
begun to require eco-labels on a number of their
products. Under the rules of the WTO agreement
on Technical Barriers to Trade - labeling used
to describe whether for the way a product is produced
(as distinct from the product itself) is environmentally
friendly. Eco-labeling rules, enforced upon international
exporters importing into the EU under the agreement,
are still unclear.
Where
did the sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement
come from ?
This agreement sets out the basic rules for
food safety and animal and plant health standards.
It allows countries to set their own standards.
But it also says regulations must be based on
science. They should be applied only to the extent
necessary to protect human, animal or plant life
or health. And they should not arbitrarily or
unjustifiably discriminate between countries where
identical or similar conditions prevail.
Exporters must be aware that some nations (namely
the EU) attempt to hide behind unfound scientific
claims to block commerce in agriculture. However,
the SPS requires that appropriate risk assessment,
involving an analysis of the available scientific
evidence, must be undertaken before any ban is
permitted. If the risk is unknown, no ban can
be permitted despite the fact that the principle
is now widely recognized in international law.
Therefore, at best a limited precautionary approach
can be adopted within the scope of the SPS; 'provisional
measures' can be adopted where information is
not sufficient provided that the additional scientific
evidence for a more objective risk assessment
is obtained in a reasonable period of time (Article
5.7).
Agreement
on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)
This agreement was addressed in conjunction
with all non-tariff barriers: technicalities,
red tape, etc. Specifically, the Agreement on
Technical Barriers to Trade tries to ensure that
regulations, standards, testing and certification
procedures do not create unnecessary obstacles.
The agreement recognizes countries rights to adopt
the standards they consider appropriate. Moreover,
members are not prevented from taking measures
necessary to ensure their standards are met. Finally,
the agreement sets out a code of good practice
for the preparation, adoption and application
of standards by central government bodies.
Source: http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/agrm8_e.htm#technical
Trade-Related
Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs)
The TRIPS Agreement includes three items related
to agriculture: 1) geographical indications (Arts.
22-24), 2) patent protection of agricultural chemical
products (Arts. 70.8 and 70.9) and 3) plant variety
protection, under which governments can refuse
to issue patents that threaten the health of human,
animal or plant life or which create a serious
risk to the environment (Art. 27.3(b)).
Cartagena
Protocol on Biosafety -
The Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity
from the potential risks posed by living modified
organisms resulting from modern biotechnology.
It establishes a procedure for ensuring that countries
are provided with the information necessary to
make informed decisions before agreeing to the
import of such organisms into their territory.
Source: http://www.biodiv.org/biosafe/Protocol/Index.html
Committee
on Trade and the Environment (CTE)
The committee's duties are to study the relationship
between trade and the environment, and to make
recommendations about any changes that might be
needed in the trade agreements. WTO only undertakes
environmental issues when environmental policies
have a significant impact on trade. Moreover,
the Committee on Trade and Environment is only
concerned about what happens when one country
invokes an environmental agreement to take action
against another country that has not signed the
environmental agreement.
Briefly, the WTO's committee says the basic WTO
principles of non-discrimination and transparency
do not conflict with trade measures needed to
protect the environment, including actions taken
under the environmental agreements. It also notes
that clauses in the agreements on goods, services
and intellectual property allow governments to
give priority to their domestic environmental
policies. However, WTO members should provide
as much information as possible about the environmental
policies they have adopted or actions they may
take.
Source: http://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/bey4_e.htm#CTE
Recommended
International Code of Practice; General Principles
of Food Hygiene CAC/RCP 1-1969, Rev. 3 (1997)
his is the revision of the Codex Code of Practices
that introduces HACCP as the basis for ensuring
food safety during food production . Separate
sections discuss in detail establishment design
and facilities, maintenance and sanitation; personal
hygiene; operations control; transportation; product
information; consumer awareness; training.
| Food
Import & Export Inspection and Certification
Systems Combined Texts (1999) Codex Alimentarius
Commission; Joint FAO/WHO Standards Programme |
| Last
update August, 2000 |
This publication combines in one volume texts
developed over 1993 to 1999 to guide governments
and other interested parties. Included in
the series are CAC/GL 20-1995; GL 26-19997;
GL 34-1999; GL19-1995 and GL 25-1997. Important
concepts that are explained include audits,
certification, accreditation, equivalence
(including the legislative framework for inspection
and certification) , free exchange of information
during emergency situations (including rejections
of imported food). |
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