Legal Transformation and Regulation of Food Systems

This course offers a comprehensive overview of EU agri-food policies and the crucial role EU institutions play in shaping them. On the basis of a systematic analysis from ‘farm to fork’ of EU food (legal) systems, students will investigate food production and consumption frameworks, together with the legal mechanisms that can be implemented to enable change towards sustainability in the agri-food sector.

With food law as its focus, the course also touches upon topics such as sustainability in the food legislation, competition law, consumer protection and empowerment, human health and the environment. At the end of the course, students will acquire a wide range of skills deemed essential for any food law-related career, ranging from food regulatory affairs to governmental institutions or NGOs. Students will learn how to interpret the law and translate this knowledge into action to ensure compliance with and consistent implementation of the rules. Students will also learn how to actively participate in the law-making process, develop legal critical thinking, advocate for a legal change and draft legal opinions. This will prepare students to identify gaps and opportunities in the ways in which the law impacts the food system, and ultimately anticipate future food laws and influence food systems transformation.

In case of a resit having a small group of students enrolled, the resit of the written test (ANS exam) may take the form of an oral examination. In this case, students will be informed in advance.

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:

• Identify the current major EU policies impacting the food system and the legal challenges they pose
• Identify the key legal concepts in the law of food systems
• Explain how EU (food) laws are made in terms of the law-making process, which institutional actors are involved and which role they play in shaping EU agri-food policies
• Analyse the impact the Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy and related legislations have on consumers, producers, health, climate and the environment in the transition towards sustainable food systems
• Interpret the law and monitor relevant regulatory developments
• Promote legal changes while maintaining legal compliance
• Support the decision-making process based on the analysis of the relevant legislation

Assumed Knowledge:
For students without prior legal knowledge, Food Law (LAW22806) and Introduction to Law (LAW12806) are useful but not obligatory.