FDA Meeting to Focus on International Capacity-Building Food Safety Plan
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a public meeting
titled “International Capacity Building with Respect to Food Safety.” Scheduled
for June 19, 2012, in Washington, D.C., the meeting will highlight “FDA’s
comprehensive plan to expand the technical, scientific, and regulatory
capacity of foreign governments and their respective food industries in
countries that export foods to the United States.”
Under the auspices of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the capacity-building plan seeks input from food industry representatives, federal and foreign government officials, consumer organizations, and other stakeholders. The plan seeks (i) “[r]ecommendations for bilateral and multilateral arrangements and agreements, including providing for responsibilities of exporting countries to ensure food safety”; (ii) “[p]rovisions for secure electronic data sharing”; (iii) “[p]rovisions for mutual recognition of inspection reports”; (iv) “[t]raining of foreign governments and food producers on U.S. requirements for safe food”; (v) “[r]ecommendations on whether and how to harmonize requirements under the Codex Alimentarius”; and (vi) “[p]rovisions for multilateral acceptance of laboratory methods and testing and detection techniques.” FDA has requested comments by July 20, 2012. See Federal Register, May 21, 2012.
