[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 78 (Tuesday, April 23, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23899-23901]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09510]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2013-0018]


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 
18, 2013. The objective of the public meeting is to provide information 
and receive public comments on agenda items and draft United States 
positions that will be discussed at the Thirty-Sixth Session of the 
Codex Alimentarius

[[Page 23900]]

Commission (CAC), which will take place July 1-5, 2013 in Rome, Italy. 
The Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the importance of 
providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain background 
information on the session and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18, 2013 from 
1:00-4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at The Jamie L. Whitten 
Building, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1400 
Independence Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250. Documents 
related to the 36th 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 36th 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 36th 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 36th Session of the CAC Contact: 
Barbara McNiff, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Room 
4861, South Building, Washington, DC 20250, Tel: (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, 
South Building, Washington, DC 20250, Tel: (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 adoption and implementation by governments, Codex seeks to 
protect the health of consumers and ensure that fair practices are used 
in the food trade.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the Agenda for the 36th Session of the CAC 
will be discussed during the public meeting:

 Report by the Chairperson on the 68th Session of the Executive 
Committee
 Reports of FAO/WHO Regional Coordinating Committees and 
Appointment of Regional Coordinators
 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) and Comments 
on Draft Standards and Related Texts submitted to the Commission for 
adoption
 Proposed Draft Standards and Related Texts at Step 5 and 
Comments on 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
 Financial and Budgetary Matters
 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
 Relations between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and other 
International Organizations
 Election of Chairperson and Vice Chairperson and Appointment 
of the Coordinators
 Designation of Countries responsible for Appointing the 
Chairpersons of Codex Committees and Task Forces and Schedule of 
Sessions 2014-2015
 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 or request copies of these documents (see 
ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the June 18, 2013, public meeting, draft U.S. positions on the 
agenda items will be 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 36th Session of CAC 
see ADDRESSES). Written comments should state that they relate to 
activities of the 36th 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

    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (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, audiotape, 
etc.) 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.,

[[Page 23901]]

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 April 18, 2013.
Mary Frances Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2013-09510 Filed 4-22-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P