Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Certification Systems
(Host Government - Australia)

The Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Certification and Inspection Systems:

• develops principles and guidelines for food import and export certification systems with a view to harmonizing methods and procedures which protect the health of consumers, ensuring fair trading practices and facilitating international practices in foodstuffs;
• develops principles and guidelines for the application of measures by the competent authorities of exporting and importing countries to provide assurance, where necessary ,that food stuffs comply with requirements, especially statutory health requirements;
• develops guidelines for the utilization , as and when appropriate, of quality assurance systems to ensure that foodstuffs conform with requirements and promote the recognition of these systems in facilitating trade in food products under bilateral/multilateral agreements;
• develops guidelines and criteria with respect to format, declarations and language of such official certificates as countries may require with a view towards international harmonization;
• makes recommendations for information exchange in relation to food import/export systems;
• consults as necessary with other international groups working on matters related to food inspection and certification systems.