During the period from 26-30 June, Rome – Italy, Egypt has participated in the Executive Council Meetings of Codex Alimentarius Commission, the competent international body responsible for issuing international standards for food and food safety.

In this respect, Dr. Eng. Mahmoud Eisa, EOS President and Member of Codex Executive Council as the Regional Representative for the Near East Countries (21 countries), has stated that the Executive Council is Codex Council, in which Egypt is represented since 2000, that sets up the plans for international standards, their budgets in all fields and Codex activities as well as follows up the strategic plans whose components are laid down by Codex. Moreover, Codex is the executive tool for both World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agricluture Organization (FAO) in the area of food and food safety. Additionally, Dr. Eisa, Head of Egyptian Delegation, has pointed out that the agenda of the meetings has included a number of important topics on the regional and international levels as the Council has discussed the adoption of a large set of standards submitted to it from the committees in many spheres of food and food safety whether ordinary or organic foods or safety requirements for foods derived from biotechnology.

Furthermore, the Council has studied the development of work plan for the standards developed by the committees and urging these committees to finalize them specially those of priority. Also, the agenda has included the Codex strategic plan (2008- 2013) that contains promotion for new supervisory parties to ensure food safety comprising those handled in international trade and considers supporting the hazards analysis systems resulting from diseases contagion through foods along with enhancing Codex capablities to reinforce the countries in its programs on food safety, sustaining and activating cooperation between Codex and other international organizations involved in food sectors such as International Organization for Standardizaton (ISO) and World Orgnization for Animal Health as well as enhancing the participation of developing countries in developing international standards.

Meanwhile, Dr. Eisa has confirmed that the harmonization of Egyptian food standards with Codex standards has granted Egypt with a special position in Codex in addition that Egypt's active participation in the work of its Council aned General Assembly provides the Egyptian Standards and quality system with a good international reputation required for enhancing the Egyptian exports.