[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 41 (Wednesday, March 2, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10828-10829]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-04481]



[[Page 10828]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2016-0001]


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

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

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Office of the Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety, U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) is sponsoring a public meeting on 
April 4, 2016. 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 30th Session of 
the Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) of the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission (Codex), taking place in Paris, France, April 
11-15, 2016. The Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety recognizes the 
importance of providing interested parties the opportunity to obtain 
background information on the 30th Session of the CCGP and to address 
items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 4, 2016, from 
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place at the Jamie L. Whitten 
Building, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 1400 
Independence Ave. SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250.
    Documents related to the 30th Session of the CCGP will be 
accessible via the Internet at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
    Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Delegate to the 30th Session of the CCGP, 
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 30th Session of the CCGP by conference call, please use the 
call-in-number listed below:
    Call-in-Number: 1-888-844-9904.
    The participant code will be posted on the Web page below: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/international-affairs/us-codex-alimentarius/public-meetings.
    Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting 
by emailing [email protected] by April 1, 2016. The meeting 
will be held in a Federal building. Early registration is encouraged 
because it will expedite entry into the building. Attendees should 
bring photo identification and plan for adequate time to pass through 
security screening systems. Attendees that are not able to attend the 
meeting in-person but wish to participate may do so by phone.
    For Further Information About the 30th Session of the CCGP Contact: 
Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., 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 Ave. SW., 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 the 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 30th Session of the CCGP will be discussed during 
the public meeting:
     Matters Referred to the Committee.
     Codex Work Management and Functioning of the Executive 
Committee--Terms of Reference of Secretariat--led Internal Review.
     Consistency of the Risk Analysis Texts across the Relevant 
Committees.
     Other Business.
    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat before the Committee Meeting. 
Members of the public may access or request copies of these documents 
(see ADDRESSES).
    Public Meeting: At the April 4, 2016, 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 30th Session of the CCGP, Mary Frances Lowe (see 
ADDRESSES). Written comments should state that they relate to 
activities of the 30th Session of the CCGP.
    Additional Public Notification: Public awareness of all segments of 
rulemaking and policy development is important. Consequently, FSIS will 
announce this Federal Register publication online 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 may be accessed online 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:

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    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).

    Done at Washington, DC on: February 25, 2016.
Paulo Almeida,
Acting U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2016-04481 Filed 3-1-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P