Agriculture and food production are some of the greatest drivers of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, freshwater consumption, and biodiversity loss worldwide. At the same time, enhancing the capacity and resource efficiency of food production remains crucial to reduce hunger and malnutrition among a growing global population. Seeking to address these concerns in its free trade agreements (FATs) with third states, the European Union (EU) has recently started to propose dedicated chapters on Sustainable Food Systems (SFS), an increasingly popular framework in both academia and policymaking, which encapsulates the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of food sustainability in a holistic manner. This article explores the question of whether and in which ways the regulatory approach advanced in SFS chapters in recent EU trade agreements reflects the holistic approach of the SFS framework. It argues that although SFS chapters cover a broad range of policy issues, they do not address the key issues of food security and demand-side interventions. Further, SFS chapters currently primarily serve to establish commitments to regulatory cooperation, missing out on the chance to introduce more direct measures to steer trade in food to become more sustainable.
Legal Issues of Economic Integration