Previous Year Question

The World Trade Organisation recognises standards developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission—CAC as a principal international reference point for food safety.

The Codex Alimentarius Commission was jointly established in 1963 by:

• The Food and Agriculture Organization—FAO;

• The World Health Organization—WHO.

The objectives of the Codex are to:

• Protect the health of consumers.

• Ensure fair practices in food trade.

• Promote the development and coordination of international food standards.

What standards does Codex develop?

Codex develops standards, guidelines and codes of practice covering:

• Food additives.

• Pesticide residues.

• Veterinary-drug residues.

• Contaminants and toxins.

• Food hygiene.

• Food labelling.

• Methods of analysis and sampling.

• Nutrition and special dietary uses.

• The quality and composition of food products.

Role of Codex in the WTO framework

The WTO’s Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures—SPS Agreement permits members to adopt measures necessary to protect human, animal or plant life or health.

Such measures must:

• Be based on scientific principles.

• Be consistent with an appropriate risk assessment.

• Avoid arbitrary discrimination between countries where similar conditions prevail.

• Not constitute a disguised restriction on international trade.

For food safety, the SPS Agreement recognises Codex standards as international benchmarks. A food-safety measure based on a Codex standard is generally presumed to be consistent with the relevant provisions of the SPS Agreement.

If a country introduces a standard more stringent than the relevant Codex standard, it may need to provide adequate scientific justification or an appropriate risk assessment.

Three recognised standard-setting bodies

The SPS Agreement principally recognises standards developed by three international bodies:

The WTO does not itself formulate technical food-safety standards. It develops trade rules and uses standards formulated by expert bodies such as the Codex as reference points.

Current position (2026)

Codex standards continue to function as the principal international food-safety reference standards within the WTO SPS framework. Codex standards are not ordinarily binding laws by themselves; they become mandatory when incorporated into a country’s national law or regulations.

Nevertheless, they possess significant evidentiary and reference value in WTO dispute settlement when examining whether a national food-safety measure is scientifically justified and consistent with international standards.