The 18th session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on General Principles convened from 7-11 April 2003 in Paris, France.

The session approved a set of draft working principles for risk analysis. The draft principles were finalized by consensus and will be formally adopted by the Commission in July, to be applied by the numerous Codex committees that elaborate international food safety standards. Another set of principles for risk analysis, to be used by member governments, is in the early stages of discussion. The Committee further agreed to begin working on a definition of traceability/product tracing in a new working group open to interested countries. The status of the EC as a member of the Codex Alimentarius Commission was forwarded for clarification by the FAO Committee on Constitutional and Legal Matters. For more information, visit: http://www.codexalimentarius.net/ccgp18/gp03_01e.htm