School of Law

The European approach to food security: Is the law keeping us secure?

Planned Submission Date: 01 February 2013

This research looks at the issue of European food security, which is often emphasised as an important aspect of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), both now and in the future.  More specifically, it looks at food security in its legal context and questions the extent to which the EU legal framework is successful in delivering on aims of increased food security, both with regards to the current CAP objectives and those being sketched out for approaching reforms.

The basic point of departure is that food security entails having secure access to sufficient food, as well as having access to sufficiently safe food and reasonably priced food. Many sensitive political issues are at stake with regards to food safety and agricultural commodity prices.

The theoretical framework is grounded in the understanding that food security and the rights to safe and reasonably priced food ought to be approached as fundamental rights, rather than mere consumer rights. This is a point also argued by many grassroots organisations and activists across the continent.

Parts of the research also focuses on the external effect s of the EU’s food security regime, particularly in relation to developing nations and other WTO members.