[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 101 (Thursday, May 24, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30993-30994]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-12602]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2012-0029]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission

AGENCY: Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA), is sponsoring a public meeting on 
June 5, 2012. The objective of the public meeting is to provide 
information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft 
United States (U.S.) positions that will be discussed at the 35th 
Session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), which will be held 
in Rome, Italy, July 2-7, 2012. The Under Secretary for Food Safety 
recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the 
opportunity to obtain background information on the 35th Session of the 
CAC and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 5, 2012, from 
1:00-4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at The Jamie L. Whitten 
Building, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, 
DC 20250. Documents related to the 35th Session of the CAC will be 
accessible via the World Wide Web at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
    The U.S. Delegate to the 35th Session of the CAC invites U.S. 
interested parties to submit their comments electronically to the 
following email address: [email protected].

Call-In Number

    If you wish to participate in the public meeting for the 35th 
Session of the CAC, by conference call, please use the call-in number 
and participant code listed below:
    Call in Number: 1-888-858-2144.
    Participant Code: 6208658.
     For Further Information About the 35th Session of the CAC Contact: 
Barbara McNiff, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 
4861, Washington, DC, 20250, Telephone: (202) 690-4719, Fax: (202) 720-
3157, Email: [email protected].

For Further Information About the Public Meeting Contact:
    Jasmine Curtis, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., 
Room 4865, Washington, DC 20250, Telephone: (202) 690-1124, Fax: (202) 
720-3157, Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    Codex was established in 1963 by two United Nations organizations, 
the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health 
Organization (WHO). 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

[[Page 30994]]

seeks to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in 
the food trade; promotes coordination of all food standards work 
undertaken by international governmental and non governmental 
organizations; determines priorities and initiates and guides the 
preparation of draft standards through and with the aid of appropriate 
organizations; finalizes standards elaborated and publish them in a 
Codex Alimentarius either as regional or worldwide standards, together 
with international standards already finalized by other bodies, 
wherever this is practicable; amends published standards, as 
appropriate, in the light of new developments.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the agenda for the 35th Session of the CAC 
will be discussed during the public meeting:
     Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Manual
     Comments on Proposed Amendments to the Procedural Manual
     Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 8 of the 
Procedure (including those Submitted at Step 5 with a Recommendation to 
Omit Steps 6 and 7 and at Step 5 of the Accelerated Procedure)
     Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5
     Revocation of Existing Codex Standards and Related Texts
     Amendments to the Codex Standards and Related Texts
     Proposals for the Elaboration of New Standards and Related 
Texts and for the Discontinuation of Work
     Matters Referred to the Commission by Codex Committees and 
Task Forces
     Strategic Planning of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
    (a) General Implementation Status
    (b) Draft Codex Strategic Plan 2014-2019
     Matters Arising from FAO and WHO
    (a) FAO/WHO Project and Trust Fund for Enhanced Participation in 
Codex
    (b) Other Matters Arising from FAO and WHO
     Financial and Budgetary Matters
     Relations between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and 
other International Organizations
     Election of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson
     Designation of Countries Responsible for Appointing the 
Chairpersons of Codex Committees and Task Forces
     Other Business
    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat prior to the meeting. Members 
of the public may access copies of these documents (see ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the June 5, 2012, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the 
agenda items will be described and 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 35th 
Session of the CAC (see ADDRESSES). Written comments should state that 
they relate to activities of the 35th session of the CAC.

Additional Public Notification

    FSIS will announce this notice online through the FSIS Web page 
located at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/regulations_&_policies/Federal_Register_Notices/index.asp.
    FSIS will also 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 meetings, and other types of information 
that could affect or would be of interest to constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is communicated via Listserv, a free 
electronic mail subscription service for industry, trade groups, 
consumer interest groups, health professionals, and other individuals 
who have asked to be included. The Update is also available on the FSIS 
Web page. In addition, FSIS offers an electronic mail subscription 
service which provides automatic and customized access to selected food 
safety news and information. This service is available at http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News_&_Events/Email_Subscription/. Options range 
from recalls to export information to regulations, directives, and 
notices. Customers can add or delete subscriptions themselves, and have 
the option to password protect their accounts.

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

    USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on 
the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, 
disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or 
family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication of program information (Braille, large print, or 
audiotape) should contact USDA's Target Center at 202-720-2600 (voice 
and TTY).
    To file a written complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Office 
of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice and TTY). 
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

    Done at Washington, DC on: May 21, 2012.
Paulo Almeida,
U.S. Codex Alimentarius Office.
[FR Doc. 2012-12602 Filed 5-23-12; 8:45 am]
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