Consider the following statements regarding the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC):
1. It was jointly established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. Its standards are legally binding on all member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
3. It meets in regular session once a year, alternating between Geneva and Rome.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Question

Consider the following statements regarding the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC):
1. It was jointly established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
2. Its standards are legally binding on all member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
3. It meets in regular session once a year, alternating between Geneva and Rome.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

ONLiNE UPSC · Accepted Answer

Recently, India chairs the millet standards initiative alongside Mali, Nigeria and Senegal as co-chairs in the recently held 88th Session of the Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CCEXEC88).

Statement 1 is correct: The Codex Alimentarius Commission was established in 1963 by FAO and WHO to develop international food standards, guidelines, and codes of practice.

Statement 2 is not correct: Codex standards are voluntary and not legally binding, but under the WTO&rsquo;s Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement, they are recognized as international benchmarks for food safety. While WTO members are encouraged to align their national regulations with Codex standards to promote harmonization and fair trade, they are not compelled to adopt them unless they decide to do so.

Statement 3 is correct: The Codex Alimentarius Commission holds its annual meetings alternately at the WHO headquarters in Geneva and the FAO headquarters in Rome, where it adopts new standards, reviews existing ones, and undertakes strategic planning.
Additional Information: The CAC consists of the following main organizational elements:

	Commission;
	Executive Committee;
	Codex Secretariat;
	Codex subsidiary bodies.

International Organizations

Codex Alimentarius Commission

Website Link

Test Your Knowledge

Student Resources


M Question 1	⏱ 0
Consider the following statements regarding the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC): 1. It was jointly established by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). 2. Its standards are legally binding on all member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO). 3. It meets in regular session once a year, alternating between Geneva and Rome. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3