APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum
Operating Principles
Originally endorsed by the FSCF, April 2007
Amended and endorsed by FSCF, July 2009
1. Background
1.1. In November 2004, the 16th APEC Ministerial Meeting in Santiago noted China’s efforts to promote cooperation among APEC Economies on food safety and encouraged Economies to determine how APEC might complement the ongoing work of other international organisations.
1.2. In June 2005, APEC Ministers Responsible for Trade noted and welcomed the efforts of Australia, China, Thailand and Viet Nam to advance food cooperation and commended officials for their work in identifying an appropriate role for APEC. In November 2005, the 17th APEC Ministerial Meeting noted the outcomes of the Food Safety Cooperation Seminar held in September 2005 in Korea and welcomed the progress made by economies including the establishment of an Ad Hoc Steering Group.
1.3. The Ad Hoc Steering Group met in February 2006 and September 2006 and presented their Final Report to the Sub-Committee on Standards and Conformance (SCSC) on 8 September 2006, recommending the formation of the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum (FSCF).
1.4. On 4 April 2007, the (FSCF) was formerly established in Hunter Valley, Australia. FSCF agreed to work together to build robust food safety systems so as to accelerate progress towards harmonisation of food standards with international standards to improve public health and facilitate trade.
This cooperative approach was strongly supported by APEC Economic Leaders in 2007 as an important means to enhance human security in the region.
We agreed on the need to develop a more robust approach to strengthening food and consumer product safety standards and practices in the region, using scientific risk-based approaches and without creating unnecessary impediments to trade. Additional capacity building in this area is a priority. We directed Ministers to undertake further work in this important area and report on progress.(APEC Economic Leaders, Sydney, Australia, 9 September 2007 .
1.5. Again, in 2008, APEC Economic Leaders acknowledged and endorsed the work of the FSCF, specifically noting a new FSCF initiative designed to leverage and consolidate food safety expertise from around the region, the FSCF Partnership Training Institute Network (PTIN).
“We reaffirmed our commitment to improve food and product safety standards and practices to facilitate trade and ensure the health and safety of our populations. We endorsed the work of the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Forum’s Partnership Training Institute Network and called on Ministers to take additional steps to enhance food and product safety next year”. (APEC Economic Leaders, Lima, Peru 22-23 November 2008).
2. Mandate
2.1. The FSCF implements the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Initiative agreed by Member Economies in accordance with the Purpose and Goals described below.
2.2. The FSCF reports to, and is subject to review by, the SCSC.
3. Purpose
3.1. Food safety and internationally harmonized food standards are key factors for improving public health and safety and facilitating trade in food for APEC economies.
3.2. To accelerate progress towards these outcomes, APEC will improve and strengthen information sharing and capacity building activities in food safety by enhancing cooperation between member economies and in regional activities.
3.3. The FSCF will identify, prioritise and coordinate capacity-building activities in APEC, including the needs of developing economies , taking into account other capacity building activities in the region.
4. Goals
4.1. The FSCF goals reflect those of the APEC Food Safety Cooperation Initiative, that is, to assist APEC Member Economies to achieve:
4.1.1. Transparent information-sharing and communication networks that provide accurate and timely information to consumers and producers on food safety.
4.1.2. Food safety regulatory systems within economies , including food inspection/assurance and certification systems that:
4.1.2.1. are consistent with members’ rights and obligations under the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) and the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreements of the World Trade Organisation; and
4.1.2.2. are harmonized,to the extent possible, with international standards (such as Codex, OIE, IPPC).
4.1.3. Enhanced skills and human resource capacities to enable the development of national food safety regulatory frameworks that are harmonized with international standards.
5. Scope of Activities
5.1. The FSCF will develop a work program that identifies, prioritises and coordinates potential capacity building activities in food safety in the APEC region. It will also assist Member Economies in their delivery and participation in these activities by providing advice, information and networking support from FSCF members.
5.2. The FSCF PTIN will further support activities by enlisting leadership from the private sector and academia to bring additional expertise, resources, and commitment towards fulfilling the capacity building needs and goals identified by members of the FSCF.
5.3. The capacity building activities will respond to Member Economies’ needs in the following areas
5.3.1. information-sharing and information networks
5.3.2. food safety regulatory systems
5.3.3. food inspection/assurance and certification systems
5.3.4. technical skills and human resource capacity (internationally accredited standards and procedures);
5.4. The work program will complement existing activities carried out by other international or regional organisations.
5.5. Member Economies should consider joint development and delivery of capacity-building opportunities recommended by the FSCF. Funding of capacity building activities should be sought by Member Economies from normal APEC funding rounds or other domestic and international funding programs.
6. Tasks
6.1. The FSCF will
6.1.1.Review progress to improve food safety systems in APEC, drawing on a self-assessment by each Member Economy of their progress over the previous two years using the FAO/WHO Guidelines for strengthening national food control systems ( http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/food/control_FCS_en.stm ) and Guidelines to assess capacity building needs ( ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/009/a0601e/a0601e00.pdf ).
6.1.2.Discuss and agree on priority capacity-building opportunities in the following areas:
6.1.2.1.1.information-sharing and communication networks between member economies, and between producers and consumers
6.1.2.1.2. food safety regulatory systems
6.1.2.1.3. food inspection / assurance and certification systems
6.1.2.1.4. technical skills and human resource capacities (internationally accredited assurance standards and procedures)
6.1.3.Discuss related projects being undertaken as part of the APEC Food System by other APEC Fora and Sub-fora.
6.1.4.Invite input from the APEC Business Advisory Council.
6.1.5. Continue to develop and implement a forward work plan, currently referred to as the Implementation Plan 2007-2011.
6.1.6.Carry out other activities as necessary, as requested by the SCSC.
6.2 Inter-sessionally, FSCF members will:
6.1.7. participate in the Food Safety Cooperation Focal Point network to share information on capacity-building activities, coordinated by Australia and China
6.1.8. report their involvement in food safety capacity-building activities under the APEC Food System chapter in e-Individual Action Plans.
7. Structure and Operation
7.1. The FSCF will consist of senior officials (e.g. Chief Executive Officer equivalent) representatives of each APEC member economy’s food safety regulatory agency, with other trade and economic representatives, as appropriate.
7.2. The FSCF is co-chaired by Australia and China, and was hosted by Australia in its APEC 2007 host role, and will be hosted by Singapore at APEC 2009. The FSCF will meet again in 2011 in the margins of SCSC II, to review and evaluate progress and to consider its Implementation Plan.
7.3. The FSCF will make recommendations on priorities to SCSC in its consideration of funding applications and contribute to the outcomes of the APEC Food System.
8. Coordination
8.1. The FSCF will work closely with other APEC fora and related groups with an interest in food safety.