Food Law

Feed, Care for, Protect, Balance

Publication of the book *FOOD LAW: FEEDING, CARING FOR, PROTECTING, AND BALANCING*.
Proceedings of the conference held on October 14, 2022, at the Faculty of Law and Political Science in Montpellier.

Overview:

The Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Montpellier has created a new national master’s degree in food law and agroecology, which began its first academic year in September 2021. The first graduating class graduated in September 2023.

This new degree program aims to train students in initial education (many of whom are in work-study programs) and professionals in continuing education on contemporary food-related issues: while maintaining the goal of providing food, the agri-food sector has also been tasked with protecting the environment and local or national traditions, caring for the population, and preventing environmental risks. By taking into account its effects on the environment and people, the evolution of the law can contribute to a better quality of life for society as a whole.

To celebrate this educational innovation, which aims to address the new challenges in the food sector, the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Montpellier decided to organize an international conference on the topic of new challenges in the food sector, with support from the MUSE program and the National Food Council.

Four themes were selected and proposed following a call for papers to which numerous researchers and practitioners in the field responded. We would like to extend our warmest thanks to each and every contributor. Readers will find all of the contributions organized under the four themes that form the main chapters of this book.

Chapter 1 – Feed

Promoting innovative agriculture to contribute to food security and environmental quality requires taking the environment into account in all aspects of our food systems—from education to consumption itself, including the ways in which consumers are informed.

Chapter 2 – Protect

Promoting a transition toward an environmentally friendly society raises the question of what is often referred to as “sustainable food”—that is, food produced, processed, and distributed in ways that are less harmful to the environment or, better yet, protective of—or even conducive to—the development of our natural environment.

Chapter 3 – Providing Care

Improving human health in changing environments necessarily involves finding remedies for potential dietary disorders or providing treatment through a specific, targeted diet—but without making misleading claims.

Chapter 4 – Balancing

How can we develop solutions based on the“One Health” concept to promote environmental and health protection—without imposing restrictions or creating a sense of frustration or a feeling that we are “living a lesser life”—while ensuring everyone’s well-being and preserving our regions and their cultures?

Table of Contents

Law and Policy in the Fight Against Food Insecurity: From the Welfare-Oriented Approach to Food Aid to Local Innovation
Luc BODIGUEL, CNRS Research Director, UMR 6298 Law and Social Change, Nantes University

European Food Legislation in Light of the “One Health” Concept
Pierre Étienne BOUILLOT, Assistant Professor, Center for European Documentation and Research (CDRE), University of Pau and the Adour Region (UPPA)

Food Security and Food Sovereignty: Between Agronomy and Agroecology
, Christine LEBEL, Associate Professor (HDR), University of Bourgogne Franche-Comté

The Regulatory Framework Governing Food Product Representations in Quebec: From Health to Sustainable Development
Marie-Ève COUTURE-MENARD and Marie-Claude DESJARDINS, associate professors at the Faculty of Law of the University of Sherbrooke and co-directors of the Center for Research on Regulation and Governance Law (CrRDG)

Balancing Regulation and Promotion in the Creation of Healthy Food Environments Through the Law
Josiane RIOUX COLLIN, Professor in the Faculty of Political Science and Law, Université du Québec à Montréal

Climate Change, Sustainable Development, and Biocultural Rights: What Legal Innovations Are Needed for PDOs and PGIs
, Alessandra DI LAURO, Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Agro-Environmental Sciences, University of Pisa (Italy)

Food Marketing: What Is the European Union Doing to Protect Children’s Health?
Amandine GARDE, Professor, University of Liverpool
Marine FRIANT PERROT, Associate Professor, University of Nantes

Protection of Agricultural Workers
Bruno SIAU, Associate Professor (HDR), Montpellier School of Labor Law (EDSM), University of Montpellier

Consumer Law and Energy Drinks: A Case Study
Marie-Eve ARBOUR, Professor at Laval University, Quebec (Canada)

The Challenges of Modern Agriculture and Competition Law
Lucas BETTONI, Associate Professor at the University of Toulouse

From Consumer Information to the Risk of Unfair Competition
Julia BOMBARDIER, Attorney at Law, Paris Bar, TACTIS Law Firm

What Is a Sustainable Diet
. Malo DEPINCÉ, Professor at the University of Montpellier

The Concept of a “Mission-Driven Company” in the Agri-Food Industry
Eugénie PLANE, Ph.D. candidate at the University of Montpellier

Local Government Initiatives in the Food Sector
Catherine RIBOT, Professor at the University of Montpellier