False Foods: Harmonizing the EU and US Organics Programs

Authors

Elizabeth G. Fudge

First Page

777

Abstract

The growth of the importation and exportation of organic foods in recent years has led governments around the globe to take more aggressive approaches in overseeing and certifying such products. Currently, there is a discrepancy in how states certify and respond to non-compliance issues for imported organic products. This creates a strong need to harmonize organics programs, specifically between the EU and US programs, as they are the two largest consumers of organic products. Through auditing both the EU and US organic import programs, significant issues of non-compliance became exceedingly clear. This Note argues that the best solution for addressing current compliance issues is for the US to unilaterally adopt the EU’s organic import program, specifically the Trade Control and Expert System (TRACES) electronic certification program. The US’s implementation of the EU program would create greater harmonization globally, provide substantial benefits due to the superiority and longer history of TRACES, and would be more efficient than a multilateral agreement.

Recommended Citation

Elizabeth G. Fudge, False Foods: Harmonizing the EU and US Organics Programs, 45 Brook. J. Int'l L. 777 (2020).
Available at: https://brooklynworks.brooklaw.edu/bjil/vol45/iss2/5