Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2016 Jun 1.
Published in final edited form as: Glob Health Gov. 2010 Spring;3(2):http://blogs.shu.edu/ghg/files/2011/11/Lee_Civil-Society-Organizations-and-the-Functions-of-Global-Health-Governance_Spring-2010.pdf.

Table 5.

Functions in the Global Governance of Food Standards Through the Codex Alimentarius

Function Formal/Direct Informal/Indirect
Issue linkage

  • By national governments

  • By business/industry

  • By business/industry

  • By CSOs (consumer groups drawing attention to food safety issues)

  • By health workers (reporting of foodborne diseases)
Agenda setting

  • By national governments

  • By business/industry

  • By IGOs (WHO, FAO and WTO)

  • By CSOs (consumer groups)

  • By mass media (reporting on food related issues)
Developing usable knowledge

  • By IGO (CAC expert committees)

  • By business/industry (support for industry funded research)

  • By research institutions (research on food safety and nutrition issues)
Monitoring

  • By national governments (food standards authorities)

  • By CSOs (consumer groups)
Rule making

  • By IGOs (Codex sub and coordinating committees draft regulations)

  • By national governments

  • By business/industry (representation on national delegations and consultation as “interested parties”)

  • By CSOs (consumer group proposals on food safety, labelling etc.)
Norm development

  • By IGOs (WTO SPS and TBT on food harmonisation)

  • By business/industry (representation on technical and standard setting bodies)

  • By business/industry (marketing of food products)
Policy verification

  • By national governments By IGOs (WHO, FAO and WTO)

  • By CSOs (consumer groups)
Enforcement

  • By national governments (customs checks; legal action against violations
Capacity building (technology transfer)

  • By IGOs (WHO and FAO support to member states to build technical and administrative infrastructure to implement Codex)

  • By IGO (WTO Standards and Trade Development Facility)
Capacity building (organizational skills)

  • By IGOs (as above)
Promote vertical integration
Financing

  • By national governments (inspection and enforcement)

  • By business/industry (production costs to comply with regulations)

  • By IGO (WHO/FAO Trust Fund to participate in Codex)