Page 72 - Trade and Food Standards

TRADE
AND FOOD STANDARDS
Trade in food is difficult to imagine without standards.
Food standards give confidence to consumers about the
safety, quality and authenticity of what they eat. By setting
out a common understanding on different aspects of food for consumers, producers and governments, harmonization on the basis of international standards makes trade less costly and
more inclusive. Food standards and trade go hand in hand in ensuring safe, nutritious and sufficient food for a growing world population.
Together, FAO and the WTO provide governments with the
means to establish a framework to facilitate trade on the basis of internationally agreed food standards. Through the joint FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission, governments establish global science-based food standards that provide the foundation for achieving public health objectives such as food safety and nutrition. Since standards are essential for smooth trade, the
WTO SPS and TBT Agreements strongly encourage governments to harmonize their requirements on the basis of international standards.
This publication emphasizes the importance of participation and engagement of governments in standards development in Codex and in resolving trade concerns in the WTO SPS
and TBT Committees, as well as the importance of capacity development, which together contribute to the dynamism and robustness of the global system of food standards and trade.
ISBN: 978-92-870-4501-0
9 789287 045010