The Codex Committee on Food Labelling is to meet in Ottawa, Canada from 28 April to 2 May to discuss proposed draft amendments to the guidelines on nutrition labelling and the use of health and nutrition claims.

Codex , which is responsible for developing international food standards, is organised jointly by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organization. More than 160 countries are members, including all EU Member States.

The agenda for the forthcoming 31st session will also include discussion of the amendments country of origin labelling, traceability and misleading claims. There will also be consideration of labelling provisions in draft Codex standards, guidelines for the production, processing, labelling and marketing of organically produced foods and recommendations for the labelling of foods obtained through certain techniques of genetic modification or genetic engineering.

Members will consider a draft amendment to the general standard for the labelling of pre-packaged foods (including class names and quantitative declarations of ingredients).

For further information on this meeting, contact the Food Standards Agency which represents the UK in Codex.