Why study Food Law in Italy?

Italy undoubtedly enjoys worldwide reputation for its food; most of the people in the world have tasted Italian food or at least, have heard about it. Thanks to its long standing tradition, well preserved and trained local expertise, as well as to its territorial specialized skills, Italy has the highest number of internationally recognized ‘denominations of origin’ and several Italian food trademarks are frequently known globally as synonyms of the highest quality in food productions.

Italy is one of the six founding Members of the European Community, now European Union. Thus, it has been a key player in the setting up of the EU common agricultural policy and of all the relevant EU rules concerning food and the related activities. Therefore, in Italy there is a peculiar expertise in this field, strengthened by the primary position that agriculture and the food industry have always had and still have in the country, notably with regards to its trade and export perspectives.

Furthermore, Italian public institutions and authorities, companies and their associations, as well as Italian consumer movements and NGOs, are constantly in the forefront of national, EU and international regulatory initiatives and decisions, rounds of negotiations and multilateral deals and treaties.

It is also worth stressing that some and perhaps most important European and international organizations dealing with food issues have their seats and headquarters in Italy. In particular, are based in Rome: the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Moreover, the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) is located in Parma.

All this elements make Italy a privileged place for advanced study in Food Law and an ideal paramount observatory, in international and European perspective, on the manifold legal issues concerning the entire chain of food production and commerce. Studying in Italy may also enhance the possibilities of working in one of the above-mentioned organizations and/or in one of its industries.