International Food Law – The Basics

As a result of recent events such as Brexit and changing international relationships, the key elements of international food law have increased importance for government and industry alike.

The International Food Law course will introduce the international attempts to harmonise national controls and establish rules governing food trade.

The course begins with a survey of the original attempts to agree on international food standards for national adoption. However, the main focus is on the work of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC). With this historical awareness, participants will tackle the current relationships between the CAC and the World Trade Organisation (WTO). In particular, this will analyse the impact of the WTO’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement (the ‘SPS Agreement’) on key aspects of EU and UK food legislation.

This may sound rather theoretical, but genetically modified foods, novel foods and the residue limits for pesticides on crops or hormones in meat are examples of controversial issues subject to evaluation under the WTO rules.
With the imminent changes to international relationships (and international legal requirements) forthcoming, this course would directly benefit any professional engaged in exporting products or whose industry is likely to undergo legal changes in the coming years.

On completion of the course, learners should be able to:
• Appreciate the interaction of international law with various national laws
• Explain the origins and background of international food legislation and describe its overall structure and key components
• Access the legal requirements imposed on the food industry
• Be able to access the relevant legislation relating to your business
• Engage in the development of future food laws

Course Provider: University of Reading
Course Date: This course commences each January
Course Delivery: Distance Learning – 4-week online course
Course Fee: £450.00