Guidelines for Food and Beverage Safety Management to Be Established in Asia-Pacific... "AFRAS 2026" Concludes Successfully

Commitment to Strengthening Food Safety Cooperation through the "Seoul Declaration"

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety announced that the 4th Asia-Pacific Food Regulatory Authorities Meeting (AFRAS 2026), held in Seoul on May 11-12, successfully concluded with the adoption of the "AFRAS Seoul 2026 Declaration."

Participants are taking a commemorative photo at the '4th Asia-Pacific Food Regulatory Authorities Meeting (AFRAS 2026)' held in Seoul from the 11th to the 12th. Photo by Ministry of Food and Drug Safety

According to the declaration adopted by 14 food regulatory authorities, AFRAS member countries agreed to jointly respond to the digital transformation of food safety management and to cooperate on food and beverage safety management at international events. In addition, they agreed to establish guidelines for the safe management of recycled plastics.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety emphasized that this meeting marked a turning point, as Korea, serving as the chair country, moved beyond simply sharing information to achieving substantial institutional outcomes and taking the lead in setting global standards for regulations in the Asia-Pacific region.

During the meeting, the Ministry focused on resolving export challenges faced by Korean companies through bilateral meetings and business discussions with key member countries.

In particular, the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on seafood hygiene cooperation signed with New Zealand's Ministry for Primary Industries is significant because it includes the introduction of electronic sanitary certificates. This is expected to simplify customs procedures and lay the groundwork for enhanced cooperation in safety management. As a result, the responsibility for safety management in exporting countries will be strengthened, and the use of electronic sanitary certificates, previously limited to livestock products, will be extended to seafood.

Additionally, through discussions with major regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and Thailand's Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), the scope of cooperation was expanded beyond food to include medical products and cosmetics.

At business meetings between domestic companies and regulatory officials from key export countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, Korea's food export challenges were communicated directly.

AFRAS member countries also agreed to pursue observer status with the Codex Alimentarius Commission. This demonstrates AFRAS's strong commitment to voicing its opinions in the process of setting global standards as the official consultative body representing the Asia-Pacific region, and to securing leadership in global regulations.

Eukyoung Oh, Commissioner of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, stated, "AFRAS 2026 is a historic turning point for advancing food safety cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region," adding, "Korea will do its utmost to play a central role so that AFRAS can develop into a consultative body that leads global harmonization of food regulations."

Building on the outcomes of this meeting, the Ministry plans to further specify collaborative projects through working groups and, by operating the AFRAS Secretariat, to make tangible achievements in regulatory harmonization at the next AFRAS 2027 meeting.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.