PROPOSAL P254 - MINOR AMENDMENTS OMNIBUS TO VOLUME 2OF THE FOOD STANDARDS CODE
Initial / Draft Assessment Report( Prepare a NEW Proposal / Full Assessment - SS.21/23) - s.36
DEADLINE FOR PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS to the Authority in relation to this matter : 24 April 2002 (see ' Invitation for Public Submissions' for details) |
Full Report [ PDF format 116 kb ]
Issues
The Australia New Zealand Food Authority (ANZFA) prepared a minor omnibus Proposal, P245, to correct errors of minor significance or complexity identified in Volume 2 of the Food Standards Code (Volume 2). The Draft Assessment report for P245 was submitted to and approved by the ANZFA Board at the November 2001 meeting. This has subsequently gone out for public comment.
This separate Proposal, has been initiated to address other minor amendments that were not included in P245 due to time constraints or for new amendments that have since arisen. These amendments are also to correct errors of minor significance or complexity in Volume 2. These amendments include typographical errors, inconsistencies, misspellings, grammatical errors, omissions, deletions, corrections to Tables as well as other additions . The proposed draft variations contained in this Proposal have been prepared to correct minor errors identified since adoption of Volume 2.
Consultation
Under Section 36 of the Australia New Zealand Food Authority Act 1991 , (ANZFA Act) the Authority has decided to omit one round of public consultation as it is satisfied that the Proposal raises issues of minor significance and complexity only, and that omitting to invite public consultation at the Initial Assessment stage would not have a significant adverse effect on the interests of concerned parties.
Conclusion and Statement of Reasons
- The proposed draft variations contained in this Proposal have been prepared to correct errors of minor significance or complexity identified since the adoption of Volume 2 of the Food Standards Code.
- This Proposal has been raised to address other minor amendments that were not included in an earlier minor Omnibus Proposal (P245) due to time constraints, or that have arisen since.
- The correction of minor errors in Volume 2 will also ensure information provided to consumers in accord with Standards contained in Volume 2 will be correct and comply with the Food Standards Code, thereby providing consumers with accurate and adequate information relating to food to enable consumers to make informed choices.
On 24 November 2000, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Council (ANZFSC) adopted Volume 2. It is envisaged that Volume 2 will become the sole repository of food product standards in Australia and New Zealand (under the joint food standards setting system established by an Agreement between Australia and New Zealand on 1 July 1996) from approximately 20 December 2002.
The practical effect of the adoption by Health Ministers of Volume 2 (gazetted 20 December 2000), is that food manufacturers in Australia may currently produce food that complies with Volume 1 or Volume 2 of the Food Standards Code, but not a combination of both, until Volume 2 becomes the sole repository of food product standards in Australia and New Zealand. In addition food manufacturers in New Zealand may currently produce food that complies with three alternative sources of regulation in the form of: theNew Zealand Food Regulations 1984; Volume 1 of the Food Standards Code; or Volume 2 of the Food Standards Code, but not a combination thereof.
Since the gazettal of Volume 2, a number of errors of minor significance or complexity ( including typographical errors, inconsistencies, misspellings, grammatical errors, omissions, deletions, corrections to Tables as well as other additions) have been identified in Volume 2, which require correction to ensure that the information contained in Volume 2 is correct so protecting public health and safety. A number of these have been corrected in Proposal P245. This new Proposal addresses further amendments that were not part of P245 due to time constraints as well as amendments that were identified after the paper was completed. It is expected that there will be the need to have regular Omnibus papers to address minor amendments and corrections that are identified in Volume 2, as it is applied.
Full Report [ PDF format 116 kb ]