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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

The WTO Agreements on Sanitary and Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)

&&The role of food irradiationThe role of food irradiation

Josef BrodesserFood and Environmental Protection Section

Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and AgricultureA-1400 Vienna, Austria

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

World trade of agricultural productsWorld trade of agricultural products

91%

9% ( 560 US$ Billions)

Agricultural products Other products

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

World trade & production by main product groups0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Manufactures

Agricultural products

Industry products

Totalmerchandise

Export rate

Production rate

Percentageincreaseper year

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

20 % North America40 % Europe (EU)

12 % Latin America4 % Africa

Global Trade in Food and Agricultural Commodities (1997)

2 % Middle East

20 % Asia & the Pacific

2 % Eastern Europe Source: WTO, Geneva (1998)

Total Value: $500 Billion

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

The World Trade Organization (WTO)

Is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations.

At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their Parliaments.

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

1. Administering WTO trade agreements 2. Forum for trade negotiations3. Handling trade disputes4. Monitoring national trade policies5. Technical assistance and training for developing

countries6. Cooperation with other international

organizations

Functions of the WTO

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

WTO Agreements

Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)

Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT)

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

Sanitaryand Phyto-sanitaryMeasures are to protect against pests and diseases and to provide safe food

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

Acknowledges that governments have the right to take sanitary and phytosanitary measures necessary for the protection of human health.

It does not permit Member Governments to discriminate by applying different requirements to different countries where the same or similar conditions prevail, unless there is sufficient scientific justification for doing so.

SPS

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TBT

Aims to ensure that technical regulations and standards, including packaging, marking and labeling requirements, and analytical procedures for assessing conformity with technical regulations and standards do not create unnecessary barriers to trade.

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

The SPS Agreement Recognizes relevant international standards,

guidelines and recommendations of competent international organizations:

Codex Alimentarius Commission (for food safety and human health)

International Plant Protection Convention (for plant health)

International Office of Epizootics (for animal health)

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

Joint FAO/WHOCodex Alimentarius Commission

Intergovernmental Body - 165 members, Objectives: Ensure food is safe to eat Facilitate international trade

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

Codex Alimmentarius Commission (CAC)

Codex Alimentarius = Food Law Food standards Codes of practices Recommendations

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

Food Hygiene and SafetyMayor activity of CAC

Committees on: Food Hygiene Food Additives and Contaminants Pesticides Residues Residues of Veterinary Drugs

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

CODEX GENERAL STANDARD FOR IRRADIATED FOOD

1. Scope2. General requirements for the process3. Hygiene of irradiated foods4. Technological requirements5. Re-irradiation6. Labelling

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

RECOMMENDED INTERNATIONAL CODE OF PRACTICE FOR THE OPERATION OF

IRRADIATION FACILITIES USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF FOOD

Introduction Irradiation plants Good radiation processing plants Product and inventory control Appendix A (dosimetry) Appendix B (EXAMPLES of technological

conditions for the irradiation of SOME individual food items.)

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JOINT FAO/IAEA PROGRAMMEof Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture

IPPC Guidelines for the Use of Irradiation as a Phytosanitary

TreatmentPLAN Review by ICPM Standard Committee (May

2002) Comments by member countries (June-September

2002) New document revised by ICPM Standard

Committee end year 2002) Review and approval by the Plenary Session IPPC

(April 2003)

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Conclusion

WTO and its Agreements on SPS and TBT are part of international efforts to liberalise the world trade in food and agricultural products.