[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 34 (Wednesday, February 20, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5048-5049]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-02747]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. Codex Office


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

AGENCY: U.S. Codex Office, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of public meeting and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S Codex Office is sponsoring a public meeting on 
February 25, 2019. 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 31st Session of 
the Codex Committee on General Principles (CCGP) of the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission, in Bordeaux, France, March 11-15, 2019. The 
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius and the Under Secretary for Trade 
and Foreign Agricultural Affairs recognize the importance of providing 
interested parties the opportunity to obtain background information on 
the 31st Session of the CCGP and to address items on the agenda.

DATES: The public meeting is scheduled for February 25, 2019, from 1:00 
p.m. EST to 4:00 p.m. EST.

ADDRESSES: The public meeting will take place in Meeting Room 107A at 
the Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Ave SW, Washington, DC 20250. 
Documents related to the 31st Session of the CCGP will be accessible 
via the internet at the following address: http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/meetings-reports/en.
    Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Delegate to the 31st 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 31st Session of the CCGP by conference call, please use the 
call-in-number: 888-844-9904 and participant code 5126092.
    Registration: Attendees may register to attend the public meeting 
by emailing [email protected] by February 21, 2019. Early 
registration is encouraged because it will expedite entry into the 
building. The meeting will take place in a Federal building. Attendees 
should bring photo identification and plan for adequate time to pass 
through the security screening systems. Attendees who are not able to 
attend the meeting in person, but who wish to participate, may do so by 
phone, as discussed above.
    For Further Information about the 31st Session of the CCGP Contact: 
U.S. Delegate, Mary Frances Lowe, U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius, 
U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4861, South 
Agriculture Building, Washington, DC 20250. Telephone: (202) 205-7760, 
Fax: (202) 720-3157, Email: [email protected].
    For Further Information about the Public Meeting Contact: Ken 
Lowery, U.S. Codex Office, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Room 4861, 
South Agriculture Building, Washington, DC 20250. Phone: (202) 690-
4042, 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 and the World Health 
Organization. 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 Terms of Reference of the Codex Committee on General Principles 
(CCGP) are:

    To deal with such procedural and general matters as are referred 
to it by the Codex Alimentarius Commission, including:
     The review or endorsement of procedural provisions/
texts forwarded by other subsidiary bodies for inclusion in the 
Procedural Manual of the Codex Alimentarius Commission; and
     the consideration and recommendation of other 
amendments to the Procedural Manual.

    The CCGP is hosted by France. The United States attends CCGP as a 
member country of Codex.

Issues To Be Discussed at the Public Meeting

    The following items on the Agenda for the 31st Session of the CCGP 
will be discussed during the public meeting:

 Adoption of the Agenda
 Matters referred to the Committee
 Procedural guidance for committees working by 
correspondence
 Use of examples in Codex Standards
 Information on activities of FAO and WHO relevant to the 
work of CCGP
 Other business
 Discussion paper on emerging and future issues of relevance 
to CCGP
 Date and place of new session
 Adoption of the report

Public Meeting

    At the February 25, 2019, 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 31st Session of the CCGP (see ADDRESSES). Written 
comments should state that they relate to activities of the 31st 
Session of the CCGP.

Additional Public Notification

    Public awareness of all segments of rulemaking and policy 
development is important. Consequently, the U.S. Codex Office will 
announce this Federal Register publication on-line through the USDA web 
page located at: http://

[[Page 5049]]

www.usda.gov/codex/, a link that also offers an email subscription 
service providing access to information related to Codex. Customers can 
add or delete their subscription 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 February 13, 2019.
Mary Lowe,
U.S. Manager for Codex Alimentarius.
[FR Doc. 2019-02747 Filed 2-19-19; 8:45 am]
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