[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 37 (Wednesday, February 25, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10049-10050]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-03800]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2015-0007]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Committee on 
General Principles

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 
February 25, 2015. The objective of the public meeting is to provide 
information and receive public comments on agenda items and draft 
United States (U.S.) positions to be discussed at the 29th Session of 
the Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) of the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission (Codex), which will take place in Paris, 
France, March 9-13,2015. The Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety 
recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the 
opportunity to obtain background information on the 29th Session of 
CCGP and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25, 2014 
from 1-4 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place at the South Building, 
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1400 Independence Ave 
SW., Room 1160, Washington, DC 20250. Documents related to the 29th 
Session of CCGP will be accessible on-line at the following address: 
http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
    Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Delegate to the 29th Session of CCGP, 
invites interested U.S. 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 29th 
Session of CCGP by conference call on February 25, 2015, please use the 
call-in number and participant code listed below:
    Call-in Number: 1 (888) 844-9904
    Participant code: 5126092

Registration

    Attendees may register by emailing [email protected] by 
February 24, 2015. Early registration is encouraged because it will 
expedite entry into the building. The meeting will be held in a Federal 
building. Attendees should also bring photo identification and plan for 
adequate time to pass through security screening systems. Those who are 
not able to attend the meeting in-person, but wish to participate may 
do so by phone.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 
    For Further Information About the 29th Session of CCGP Contact: 
Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue, Room 
4861, Washington, DC 20250, Phone: (202) 205-7760, Fax: (202) 720-3157, 
Email: [email protected].
    For Further Information About the Public Meeting Contact: Barbara 
McNiff, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue, Room 4861, 
Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 205-7760, 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 seeks 
to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in the 
food trade.
    The CCGP is responsible for dealing with procedural and general 
matters referred to it by Codex, for proposing amendments to the Codex 
Procedural Manual, and for reviewing and endorsing procedural 
provisions and texts forwarded by Codex Committees for inclusion in the 
Procedural Manual.
    The Committee is hosted by France.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the agenda for the 29th Session of CCGP will 
be discussed during the public meeting:
     Matters Referred to the Committee
     Proposed amendments to the Terms of Reference of CCGP

[[Page 10050]]

     Proposed amendments to the Procedures for the Elaboration 
of Codex Standards and Related Texts
     Consistency of the Risk Analysis Texts across the Relevant 
Committees
     Codex Work Management and Functioning of the Executive 
Committee
     Other Business
    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat prior to the Committee 
meeting. Members of the public may access or request copies of these 
documents (see ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the February 25, 2015, 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 Mary Frances Lowe, 
U.S. Delegate for the 29th Session of CCGP (see ADDRESSES). Written 
comments should state that they relate to activities of the 29th 
Session of CCGP.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, FSIS will announce this Federal 
Register publication on-line through the FSIS Web page located at: 
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/federal-register.
    FSIS also will make copies of this 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 our constituents and 
stakeholders. The Update is available on the FSIS Web page. Through the 
Web page, FSIS is able to provide information to a much broader, more 
diverse audience. In addition, FSIS offers an email 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/subscribe. Options range from recalls to export 
information, regulations, directives, and notices. Customers can add or 
delete subscriptions themselves, and have the option to password 
protect their accounts.

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    No agency, officer, or employee of the USDA shall, on the grounds 
of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual 
orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, 
income derived from a public assistance program, or political beliefs, 
exclude from participation in, deny the benefits of, or subject to 
discrimination any person in the United States under any program or 
activity conducted by the USDA.

How To File a Complaint of Discrimination

    To file a complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program 
Discrimination Complaint Form, which is available accessed on-line at 
http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your 
authorized representative. Send your completed complaint form or letter 
to USDA by mail, fax, or email:

Mail

    U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410.

Fax

    (202) 690-7442.

Email

    [email protected].
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

     Dated: February 19, 2015.
Marie Maratos,
Acting U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2015-03800 Filed 2-24-15; 8:45 am]
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