General Principles

Codex Committee on General Principles (Host Government - France)

The Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) deals with rules, principles and procedures referred by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, particularly those which define the purpose and scope of Codex work and the nature of Codex standards. The committee also addresses economic impact statements.

Existing Codex standards

A number of standards relating to general principles* have now been endorsed and adopted into the international food code. They include standards on:

• Definition of Traceability/ Product Tracing  
• Statements of Principle Relating to the Role of Food Safety Risk Assessment 
• Statements of Principle Concerning the Role of Science in The Codex Decision Making Process and the extent to which other factors are taken into account  
• Working Principles for Risk Analysis for Application in the Framework of the Codex Alimentarius 
• Code of Ethics for International trade in food including concessional and food aid transactions.

*This is an indicative list only. For a full list of standards approved by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, please consult its Official List of Standards.

Last meeting

The Committee met for its 26^th Session in Paris, France from 12-16 April 2010. At this meeting the Committee agreed to forwad to the 33^rd Commission:

• Draft Revised Code of ethics for international trade in food including concessional and food aid transactions at Step 8
• Proposed amendment to the Guidelines to Chairpersons of Codex Committees and Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Forces
• Proposed amendment to the Guidelines to Host Governments of Codex Committees and Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Task Forces
• The Committee endorsed the Proposed Draft Risk Analysis Principles and Procedures Applied by the Codex Committee on Food Hygiene provided by the CCFH
• The Committee endorsed the the proposal for the amendment of the section on food additives in the Format for Codex Commodity Standards

Other matters of interest to the Commission

• The Committee agreed that there was no merit in having a general definition of the term “competent authority”
• The Committee agreed to circulate the revised terms of reference for comments and further consideration at the next session
• The Committee agreed to circulate the working document on Joint Codex/OIE standards for discussion at the next session
• The Committee agreed that the Codex secretariat would create a specific page on co-hosting on the Codex website
• The Committee agreed to consider a discussion paper on standards held at step 8
• The Committee agreed to consider the development of a mechanism for examining economic impact statements

Matters of interest to other Committees

Codex Committee on Food Additives, Contaminants in Food, Veterinary Drugs in Foods, Pesticide Residues, Nutrition and Food for Special Dietary Uses and Food Hygiene:

• The Committee agreed that risk analysis policies developed by Codex committees were generally consistent with the 'Working Principles for Risk Analysis' and agreed to forward the review of Risk Analysis Policies to the committees for consideration and review of their risk analysis policies
• The Committee agreed to forward a proposal to amend the definition of the term “hazard” to the committees

Next meeting

The 27^th Session of the Committee on General Principles will be held in Paris, France from 2 – 6 April 2012.