[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 79 (Monday, April 25, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 24053-24054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-09516]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Docket No. FSIS-2016-0013]


Codex Alimentarius Commission: Meeting of the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission

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 
June 10, 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 39th Session of 
the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) taking place in Rome, Italy, 
June 27-July 1, 2016. The Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety 
recognizes the importance of providing interested parties the 
opportunity to obtain background information on the 39th Session of the 
CAC and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for Friday, June 10, 2016, from 
1:00 p.m.-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 Avenue SW., Room 107-A, Washington, DC 20250. Documents 
related to the 39th Session of the CAC will be accessible via the 
Internet at the following address: http://www.codexalimentarius.org/meetings-reports/en/.
    The U.S. Delegate to the 39th 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 39th Session of the CAC by conference call, please use the 
call-in-number and the participant code 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 June 3, 2016. Early 
registration is encouraged as 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 39th 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) 205-7760, Fax: (202) 720-3157, 
Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The CAC 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, the 
CAC 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 publishes them in a 
Codex Alimentarius (food code) either as regional or worldwide 
standards, together with international standards already finalized by 
other bodies, wherever this is practicable; and 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 39th Session of the CAC 
will be discussed during the public meeting:

 Report by the Chairperson on the 71st Session of the 
Executive Committee
 Final adoption of Codex text at Steps 8, 5/8 and 5A
 Adoption of Codex texts at Step 5
 Revocation of Codex texts
 Proposals for New Work
 Discontinuation of Work
 Amendments to Codex Standards and Related Texts
 Codex Work Management and Functioning of the Executive 
Committee

[[Page 24054]]

 Relations between FAO and WHO policies, strategies and 
guidelines and Codex work
 Codex work on antimicrobial resistance
 Matters referred to the Commission by Codex Committees and 
Task Forces
 Codex Budget planning (2016-17) and report on expenditures 
(2014-15)
 FAO/WHO Scientific Support to Codex (report on activities)
 FAO/WHO Scientific Support to Codex (budget and 
expenditure)
 FAO/WHO Scientific Support to Codex (increasing 
sustainability)
 FAO and WHO Capacity Development Activities (report on 
activities)
 FAO/WHO Project and Trust Fund for Enhanced Participation 
in Codex (final report of the preceding project ended in 2015)
 FAO/WHO Project and Trust Fund for enhances Participation 
in Codex (status report of the successor initiative started in 
January 2016)
 Relations between the Codex Alimentarius Commission and 
other International Organizations
 Elections of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairpersons
 Designation of Countries responsible for appointing the 
Chairpersons of Codex Committees
 Food integrity/authenticity
 Visa issue for attendance at Codex meetings
 2018
 Other Business

    Each issue listed will be fully described in documents distributed, 
or to be distributed, by the Secretariat before the Meeting. Members of 
the public may access or request copies of these documents (see 
ADDRESSES).

Public Meeting

    At the June 10, 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 39th 
Session of the CAC (see ADDRESSES). Written comments should state that 
they relate to activities of the 39th Session of the CAC.

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 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:
    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 April 20, 2016.
Mary Frances Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2016-09516 Filed 4-22-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-DM-P