Transitions in Food Governance in Europe: From National Towards EU and Global Regulation and from Public Towards Hybrid and Private Forms of Governance

Abstract

In my paper I discuss two important transitions in food governance in Europe. First, the increased role of private actors in global food safety regulation and the development of retail driven private food safety regulation from the 1990s onwards. Second, the increased role of the European Union. In response to food crisis such as BSE and dioxin, the European Union strengthened its food safety legislation and established the European Food Safety Authority.

At the national level, several European countries have established new regulatory agencies or reformed existing agencies to oversee the national food control activities. Both transitions resulted in very complex regulatory arrangements with multiple partners at multiple levels. Governmental organizations have to deal with the new circumstances and new core values such as transparency and independence. How do governmental agencies react to private standard setting?

Keywords: Food regulation, food law, European union, private regulation, certification, food safety, food law