ID :
46501
Thu, 02/19/2009 - 19:29
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/46501
The shortlink copeid
EU-ASEAN DIALOGUE TO DISCUSS FOOD STANDARDS
KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 (Bernama) -- The European Union (EU) will hosting a
one-day forum to share with Asean its experiences in regulating and setting food
standards with the aim of boosting trade between the two regions.
The forum will be held Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia state of Sabah on Feb
21 in conjunction with the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Fats and Oils Meeting
organised by Malaysia's Health Ministry.
"Increased dialogue to address legitimate concerns regarding food safety
will help the EU and Asean to move closer towards harmonising standards," said
ambassador and head of delegation of the European Commission to Malaysia,
Vincent Piket.
"This will facilitate trade between the two regions," he said in a statement
here Thursday.
The forum aimed to initiate dialogue on risk assessment matters and build on
the EU's "Better Training for Safer Food Programme" which helps developing
countries like Malaysia to comply with EU food laws, Piket said.
This is achieved through training, information and communication activities
organised by the EU, he said, adding that since early 2006, 10 workshops have
been held in the Asean region and attended by over 1,000 people.
"Increased food safety information exchange between the EU and Asean
communities is vital to ensure that food items traded between the two regions
are safe as this is an area of concern to consumers in both regions," Piket
said.
Representatives of Asean countries, the Asean secretariat and the EU will
attend the forum.
On food matters, the EU said it was working in close collaboration with its
member states, the European Food Safety Authority and when appropriate,
scientific committees.
In Asean, coordination is carried out by the Asean Codex Task Force with
support from the scientific community.
EU-Asean cooperation on health and consumer protection has to-date focused
on the implementation of sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures related to the
World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement.
These included enhancing Asean's control capacities in areas such as
inspection, testing and certification.
-- BERNAMA
one-day forum to share with Asean its experiences in regulating and setting food
standards with the aim of boosting trade between the two regions.
The forum will be held Kota Kinabalu in East Malaysia state of Sabah on Feb
21 in conjunction with the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Fats and Oils Meeting
organised by Malaysia's Health Ministry.
"Increased dialogue to address legitimate concerns regarding food safety
will help the EU and Asean to move closer towards harmonising standards," said
ambassador and head of delegation of the European Commission to Malaysia,
Vincent Piket.
"This will facilitate trade between the two regions," he said in a statement
here Thursday.
The forum aimed to initiate dialogue on risk assessment matters and build on
the EU's "Better Training for Safer Food Programme" which helps developing
countries like Malaysia to comply with EU food laws, Piket said.
This is achieved through training, information and communication activities
organised by the EU, he said, adding that since early 2006, 10 workshops have
been held in the Asean region and attended by over 1,000 people.
"Increased food safety information exchange between the EU and Asean
communities is vital to ensure that food items traded between the two regions
are safe as this is an area of concern to consumers in both regions," Piket
said.
Representatives of Asean countries, the Asean secretariat and the EU will
attend the forum.
On food matters, the EU said it was working in close collaboration with its
member states, the European Food Safety Authority and when appropriate,
scientific committees.
In Asean, coordination is carried out by the Asean Codex Task Force with
support from the scientific community.
EU-Asean cooperation on health and consumer protection has to-date focused
on the implementation of sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures related to the
World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreement.
These included enhancing Asean's control capacities in areas such as
inspection, testing and certification.
-- BERNAMA
