RIYADH, 11 June — The six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council have set up a body to monitor food shipments and advise authorities on their quality, the GCC secretariat said in a statement yesterday.
The panel comprising representatives from the member states would ensure that food imported to member states was “not contaminated and conformed to health standards,” the statement said.
“The aim of this committee is to study all issues and developments affecting the safety of food products and to take the proper decisions regarding them and to coordinate amongst national bodies in the GCC member states,” it added.
The GCC, which groups Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, is taking steps toward a Gulf common market and a customs union.
The states acted separately on recent animal diseases, banning imports mainly from Europe and Africa.
