JJUA55306U Food Law

Food law is a newly emerging legal branch that evolved greatly over the past twenty years. There are several reasons for that. Firstly, the global food business generates over $4 trillion per year in sales. The food industry is one of the largest manufacturing sectors and forms part of a diverse and complex supply chain. Secondly, food law is a functional field of law, which is defined by its function regarding food in society. Food is very personal. It constitutes part of family life, people's identities (e.g. veganism), a human right, and it has cultural context and relevance. Food law is present at the global (UN, FAO, WHO, WTO,), regional (EU), and national levels. Even private actors contribute to the regulation of food-related issues.

We can observe various new emerging: policies (e.g. EU Farm to Fork); regulations (e.g. food safety, packaging and labelling); and standards in the food sector. Many of these apply to most companies engaged in manufacturing, packing, growing, labelling, handling, storing, transporting, and importing food or food ingredients.

This course provides insights into both: substantive and procedural food law, which comprise rules and regulations, case law and policies that relate to food safety, food security and food trade. Within the course, we will discuss principles and specific rules addressing food as a product, service, the processes related to food acquisition and communication about food to consumers through labelling, private standards and how important food is to achieve Sustainable Development Goals.

The knowledge and skills gained in this course will offer future graduates an understanding of food law and its practical application in the private and public sectors. Graduates of this course will acquire the necessary practical knowledge and skills to be able to advise a variety of entities active within various food sector industries such as food supply chain, food labelling and standardisation, food safety, procurement and more. Consequently, the subject can be practically applied in the work of a law graduate, including variety of roles that the graduate can take within the subject of Food Law.