Summer Academy of Food Law & Policy - South of Italy

A Summer Academy in Food Law & Policy which will take palce in Apulia, Italy on 20-24 July at the beautiful XVII century Masseria Chiancone, a farmhouse immersed in an oasis of natural beauty, typically Mediterranean, along the cost of Puglia, Italy (http://www.masseriachiancone.it/).

The academy will offer scientific reflection and discourse on key legal and policy issues in European and World food law by following an innovative and interdisciplinary approach. This will be achieved through a dynamic, informal and highly interactive five-day programme, which includes lectures, presentations, discussion groups and social activities. The faculty of the academy consists of food experts coming from relevant authorities, European and US institutions and agencies, academia, industry and legal practice. Scholarships will be available.

To know more, please check at: http://www.lexxion.eu/conferences/effl09

Why food law? As I recently wrote, "this dynamic and emotive area of law provides not only an excellent vehicle for understanding the evolution of the European integration process, by illustrating the progressive abandonment of the original functionalist approach to integration, but also represents a mini-history of European law. As all EU law students are aware, an entire course of European Law may successfully be taught by focusing exclusively on the European Courts' case law developed on food, such as pasta, feta cheese or chocolate, and drinks, such as beer, wine, liquors or energy drinks" (A. Alemanno, Trade in Food - Regulatory and Judicial Approaches in the EC and the WTO, Cameron May: London, 2007).

I look forward to seeing some of you in beautiful Apulia this summer!

Alberto Alemanno
Academic Director - 1st EFFL Summer Academy in Food Law & Policy

Standards Urged for Green Labelling

“The Environmental Audit Committee, in a new report, said that the [UK] government has a role to play in policing the use of environmental labels on products and should intervene to remove those found to be inaccurate or misleading.” Jane Byrne, Foodproductiondaily.com (Mar. 23, 2009). The Committee claims than an increasing number of companies are engaged in making meaningless green claims, or greenwashing. The whole story is available here.

Last July, the European Commission proposed including food products in an eco-labeling scheme. However, the proposal was rejected by the European Parliament until the Commission could study whether reliable environmental criteria could be defined for food.

Spotlight again on cloned animals

Jan Byrne, Foodproductivitydailly.com (Mar. 12, 2009)

“A review of cloning is underway at the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following a request from the European Commission for further advice on the implications of the technology for food safety, animal health and welfare and the environment.

EFSA has initiated a public consultation period to collate data to support the review, and the agency said that it aims to build on its July 2008 recommendations regarding clones.

“The Commission has asked EFSA to further investigate the causes of disease and mortality in clones during the gestation period and at early stages of life, and also requested that the agency consider the extent to which current knowledge on the cloning of cattle and pigs can be applied to sheep, goats and chicken.

. . . .

Complete story here.