Balkan countries improve knowledge of international food standards setting. Zagreb, Croatia, 4-6 June 2013
Croatian Standards Institute
This joint initiative of WHO/Europe and of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia aimed to strengthen country capacity for effective participation in the activities of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius. Countries involved include Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Turkey.
The Codex develops harmonized international food standards, guidelines and codes of practice to protect the health of the consumers and ensure fair trade practices in the food trade. It also promotes coordination of all food standards work undertaken by international governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Participants improved their knowledge on Codex, discussed how Codex work should be linked to other food safety activities at the national level, and were stimulated about developing sub-regional cooperation on Codex-related issues. In particular, they learned about:
- what is Codex, what is its purpose, and how it works;
- how countries participate in Codex and can influence its work;
- how Codex work should be coordinated at the national level.
Trainees represented the public health, food/agriculture and the veterinary sectors.
The training was funded through the Codex Trust Fund.
