GMA is an active participant in the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the primary food safety standards body used to settle global trade disputes related to food in the World Trade Organization. Codex standards are the benchmarks against which national food measures and regulations are evaluated. Virtually all foreign markets are closed to food, beverage and consumer products that do not meet Codex standards.
On behalf of its member companies, GMA engages in Codex decision-making to ensure that international food standards are based on sound science, promote fair practices in food trade, and protect the health of our consumers.
Additionally, GMA serves as a steering member of the Food Industry Codex Coalition (FICC), whose membership consists of U.S. industry, commodity, consumer and trade association groups. FICC is the collective voice of these groups to Congress and the government at large.
Background Documents
GMA 2012 Background Paper and Priority Issues
Contact: Peggy Rochette, senior director, international affairs