Federal Register: December 29, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 249)
DOCID: FR Doc 04-28465
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Food Safety and Inspection Service
Docket ID: [Docket No. 04-048N]
NOTICE: NOTICES
ACTION: Meetings:
DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice of public meeting, request for comments.
SUBJECT CATEGORY:
Codex Alimentarius Commission: Thirty-third Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling
DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 19, 2005 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
DOCUMENT SUMMARY:
The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), United States Department of Health and Human Services, are sponsoring a public meeting on January 19, 2005, to provide information and receive public comments on certain agenda items that will be discussed at the Thirtythird Session of the Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex). The 33rd Session of the CCFL will be held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, May 913, 2005. The Under Secretary and FDA recognize the importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on the agenda items that will be discussed at this forthcoming session of the CCFL.
SUMMARY:
Codex Alimentarius Commission—; Food Labeling Committee,
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
Background
The Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) was established in 1962
by two United Nations organizations, the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). Codex is the major international standardsetting organization for
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protecting the health and economic interests of consumers and
encouraging fair international trade in food. 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. In the
United States, USDA, FDA, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) manage and carry out U.S. Codex activities.
The Codex Committee on Food Labelling (CCFL) drafts provisions on labelling applicable to all foods; considers, amends if necessary, and endorses specific provisions on labelling of draft standards, codes of practice, and guidelines prepared by other Codex committees; studies specific labelling problems assigned to it by the Commission; and studies problems associated with the advertisement of food with particular reference to claims and misleading descriptions. The Committee is chaired by Canada.
Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting
The following items on the agenda for the 33rd Session of CCFL will be discussed during the public meeting:
1. Proposed Draft Guidelines for the Labelling of Foods Obtained Through Certain Techniques of Genetic Modification/Genetic Engineering: Labelling Provisions and Definitions.
2. Country of Origin Labelling: Response to CL 2004/56FL.
3. Discussion Paper on Advertising: Response to CL 2004/54FL.
4. Proposed Draft Amendment to the General Standard for the Labelling of Prepackaged Foods (Quantitative Ingredient Declaration).
Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, or to be distributed, by the Canadian Secretariat to the Meeting. Members of the public may access copies of these documents (see ADDRESSES).
Public Meeting
At the January 19, 2005 public meeting, these agenda items will be described, 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 33rd Session of the CCFL, Leslye Fraser (See Addresses). Written comments should state that they relate to activities of the 33rd Session of the CCFL.
Additional Public Information
Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, in an effort to ensure that the public and in particular minorities, women, and persons with disabilities are aware of this notice, FSIS will announce it online through the FSIS Web page located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations/2004_Notices_Index/index.asp .
FSIS also will 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 meeting, recalls, and other types of
information that could affect or would be of interest to our
constituents and stakeholders. The update is communicated via Listserv,
a free email subscription service consisting of industry, trade, and
farm groups, consumer interest groups, allied health professionals,
scientific professionals, and other individuals who have requested to
be included. The update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through
Listserv and the Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more diverse audience.
Done at Washington, DC, on December 23, 2004.
F. Edward Scarbrough,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.