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What is Codex?
Increasing number of consumers and governments are becoming aware of food quality and safety issues and are realizing the need to be selective about the foods people eat. It is now common for consumers to demand that their governments take legislative action to ensure that only safe food of acceptable quality is sold and that the risk of food-borne health hazards is minimized.
Codex is short form of Codex Alimentarius that is a collection of international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice whose main purpose is to protect the health of consumers and ensure fair practices in food trade. The Codex Alimentarius serves as a basis for many national food standards and regulations. Codex standards have become international benchmarks under the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures (SPS).
The Commission
The Codex Alimentarius Commission is a joint venture of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO). It has over 170 member countries, one member organization (European Community), and 157 international non-governmental observers. The Commission provides a forum where governments, consumer groups, industry and academia meet to exchange ideas about food safety and trade and to adopt standards. The Commission elaborates standards through Codex committees and task forces. To find more about Codex, available food standards, meetings and events, codex committee reports, circular letters, food safety news, visit the Codex Alimentarius website at www.codexalimentarius.net .
Codex at National Level
At the National level, Codex structure includes the Codex Contact Point (CCP) and the National Codex Committee (NCC). In Uganda the CCP is the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). The role of the CCP is to provide linkage with the codex Secretariat in Rome. All information to and from Member countries are channeled through the CCP. To contact the secretariat at UBS send email at: codexinfo@unbs.go.ug
The NCC on the other hand is set up as a multi-sectoral organ that is charged with advising government on matters related to Codex. In Uganda the NCC was set up in June 2000 with the technical assistance of FAO. The Committee is chaired by the Ministry of health and UNBS provides the Secretariat. The terms of Reference and membership of the committee are given below.
Terms of Reference of NCC
(i) Shall be the organ to advise government on all matters of the Codex Alimentarius Commission.
(ii) In order to discharge its duties efficiently, the Committee shall appoint Sub- Committees to assist in deliberating on technical and related issues arising from the activities of codex.
(iii) Contribute when necessary to the development of the Provisional Agenda for holding Codex sessions as provided by Rule V.3 of the Codex Alimentarius Procedural Manual.
(iv) Recommends to Government the delegates to represent Uganda at Codex sessions.
(v) Advises Government Ministries, the Food Industry, Consumer Groups, Importers/Exporters, Scientific Bodies, Non-Governmental Organizations and Individuals having interest in Codex work, on the activities of Codex and related issues which are of interest to these bodies.
(vi) Monitors and coordinates the activities of Codex in the country.
(vii) Arranges for funding of Codex work by the Government and other donors,
(viii) Represents the views of Government on all aspects of the work of the Commission e.g. responds to Codex Circular Letters and requests for information, considers draft Codex standards and provides comments, advises on the form of acceptance of Codex standards etc.
(ix) Sensitize consumers on the work of Codex Alimentarius Commission.
(x) Collects information and may initiate research work to provide information for the elaboration of Codex standards.
(xi) Defines problems and needs of Uganda concerning food standards and food control.
(xii) Promotes contacts within the Regional Codex Committee and the Commission for mutual exchange of information on proposed regulatory initiatives and problems arising from food control and stimulates the strengthening of the food control infrastructure.
(xiii) Proposes work projects to the National Technical Committee on Food and Agriculture for elaboration of national and regional standards for products/commodities moving exclusively in the international trade.
(xiv) Draws attention of the Commission to any aspects of its work that is of particular significance to Uganda.
(xv) Promotes coordination of national, regional and international food standards work undertaken by international, Governmental and Non-governmental organizations within Uganda.
(xvi) Promotes acceptance of Codex final texts in Uganda.
(xvii) Monitors National Food Control System.
Membership/Composition
(i) Ministry of Health (MOH) (Chairman)
(ii) Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries
• Director, Animal Resources
• Director, Crop Resources
(iii) Makerere University
• Dept. of Food Science and Technology
• Dept. of Veterinary Public Health and Preventive Medicine
• Institute Public Health
(iv) Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development
(v) Ministry of Tourism, Trade and Industry
(vi) Ministry of Local Government
(vii) Ministry of Internal Affairs
• Police
• Government Chemists
(viii) Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST)
(ix) National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO)
(x) Uganda Manufacturers Association (UMA)
(xi) Uganda National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (UNCCI)
(xii) National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)
(xiii) Uganda Revenue Authority (URA)
(xiv) National Drug Authority (NDA)
(xv) Consumer Associations
• Uganda Consumer Protection Association
• CONSENT
(xvi) Attorney General's Office
(xvii) Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS)
(xviii) Uganda Local Authorities Association.
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