The Codex Alimentarius

The Codex Alimentarius is a collection of international food standards. It is based on the decisions of the specialist panels (committees) of the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) of the United Nations.

The standards of the Codex Alimentarius ensure the protection of consumer health and fair trade practices for food. They further the international harmonization of food law in the member countries and are an important reference in trade disputes brought before the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The membership of the Codex Alimentarius Commission currently is made up of 188 member countries and the European Union as a member organization. Germany, too, is a member and is closely involved in the standard-setting work in several committees regarding various subject areas of the Codex Alimentarius.

The Codex Alimentarius Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU)

Video message at the opening of the 43rd session of CCNFSDU in Düsseldorf, March 2023 Video message by Parliamentary State Secretary Dr Ophelia Nick (Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture) at the opening of the 43rd session of CCNFSDU in Düsseldorf, March 2023 Source: FAO/Codex

The Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU) is responsible for nutrition, and primarily develops standards on this subject as well as for foods for special dietary purposes. This includes, e.g., dietary foods such as food for infants and young children, but also fortified foods and nutritional supplements.

Germany has been the CCNFSDU host country since the establishment of this Codex Alimentarius committee in the early 1960s. BVL performs the related duties. Its employees chair the committee sessions and staff the committee secretariat. CCNFSDU sessions are held periodically in Germany or in a partner country.

Further committees of the Codex Alimentarius
BVL experts (Vice President Dr Gerd Fricke and Head of Department Dr Petra Gowik) with members of the German delegation displaying guideline CXG54-2004 prepared by the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) in Budapest, Hungary, in June 2023 Source: FAO/Codex

BVL experts also contribute to the work of the further specialist committees of the Codex Alimentarius as members of the German delegation and within working groups.

These committees include:

the Codex Committee on Contaminants in Food (CCCF),
the Codex Committee for Food Hygiene (CCFH),
the Codex Committee on Food Additives (CCFA),
the Codex Committee for Analysis and Sampling Procedures (CCMAS),
the Codex Committee on Residues of Plant Protection and Pesticides (CCPR),
the Codex Committee on Veterinary Drug Residues (CCRVDF), and
the Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Control and Certification Systems (CCFICS).

Through its diverse participation in the Codex Alimentarius and the cooperation with the members and observers represented there, the BVL contributes to global standardization in the remit of food safety.

Press releases (available only in German)

BVL press release of 1 December 2023 „Safe foods for children – BVL contributes to high food safety standards through involvement in Codex Alimentarius“ (German: „Sichere Lebensmittel für Kinder - BVL wirkt mit im Codex Alimentarius für hohe Lebensmittelstandards“)
BVL press release of 6 June 2023, „Food standards save lives – BVL contributes to setting food safety standards around the globe“ (German: „Lebensmittelstandards retten Leben - BVL wirkt mit bei Setzung von Standards für Sicherheit von Lebensmitteln weltweit“)