Page 9 - Trade and Food Standards

This publication explains how international food safety standards are set through the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations and World Health Organization (FAO/WHO) Food Standards Programme – the Codex Alimentarius Commission – and how these standards are applied in the context of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreements on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) and on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement).
In order to trade internationally and have access to markets for high-value products, producers must be able to meet national food regulations. Complying with these requirements in export markets can be challenging, especially for smaller producers in developing and emerging economies. The use of international food standards worldwide not only contributes to public health, but also helps reduce trade costs by making trade more transparent and efficient, allowing food to move more smoothly between markets.
Through the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius, members establish science-based, internationally agreed food standards. These international standards are recognized by the SPS Agreement,
thus becoming a benchmark for international trade in food products. The SPS Agreement lays down the rules for food safety, animal and plant health protection measures in trade, to ensure that such measures do not act as unnecessary barriers to trade. Members are increasingly also referring to Codex standards in the context of the
TBT Agreement, which applies to other food regulations including quality and labelling requirements. The WTO also provides a set of tools to facilitate international dialogue on food-related measures, and to resolve trade concerns when they arise.
The publication describes the two organizations, how they operate together, and how countries can and should engage to keep international food standards up to date and relevant, and to resolve trade issues. The publication also highlights the need to invest in domestic capacities to be prepared now and in the future to keep food safe and to ensure that trade flows smoothly.
Coordination between all relevant agencies within government as well as with stakeholders from the entire food supply chain is essential. Actors with responsibility for food control systems require knowledge and skills. Investments in this area will allow a country to more effectively protect public
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Part 1. The institutional framework vii
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