Exploring Sustainable Aspects Regarding the Food Supply Chain, Agri-Food Quality Standards, and Global Trade: An Empirical Study among Experts from the European Union and the United States

Katja Pietrzyck,Brigitte Petersen,Sebastian Jarzębowski

doi:10.3390/en14185987

Katja Pietrzyck, Brigitte Petersen + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en14185987

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Abstract

Sustainability is increasingly a priority in the policies of the European Union, especially in the Common Agricultural Policy. This paper focuses on Sustainable Development Goals, the European Green Deal, and the Farm to Fork Strategy in an attempt to establish a relationship with the European Union’s trade policy. Three selected components of the agri-food sector—the food supply chain, agri-food quality standards, and global trade—are examined in relation to defined sustainability aspects. The aim is to understand the interrelationship between the three components with specific regard to sustainability, to highlight their high complexity and current relevance, to contribute to systematic analysis in this area, and to present current progress. This qualitative–explorative study is empirically supported by a survey of market experts, and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership between the European Union and the United States is used as an example. The results show the complexity between the relationships of the three components with a focus on sustainability and reveal a deep uncertainty. The most notable results are the limited level of knowledge and the insufficient attention from business representatives to sustainability aspects. Finally, the study identifies the state of integrating a sustainable perspective into European Union trade policy and provides suggestions for further research.

Highlights

Introduction and BackgroundOne of the most important economic sectors of the European Union (EU) is the production and trade of agricultural products and foodstuffs [1]
Participants were asked about their perceptions of the role of international quality standards in global trade
The focus was on the temporal difference between the current situation and the role after the enforcement of Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)

Summary

Introduction

Introduction and BackgroundOne of the most important economic sectors of the European Union (EU) is the production and trade of agricultural products and foodstuffs [1]. Global agricultural trade is determined by a complex combination of international regulations, agreements, national laws, and requirements These established regulations aim to ensure the safety of processes and products in the agri-food industry so that the quality and safety of food are guaranteed worldwide [4]. The developed strategies follow a broad approach to foster sustainability in agriculture These include sustainable food production, sustainable food consumption, sustainable food processing and distribution, and prevention of food losses and waste. These changes could affect global agricultural commodity markets, as the EU is a major agricultural producer and participant in international agri-food trade relations [18,19,50]. In terms of the impact on international trade, it was predicted that all world regions would experience a decline of 2–4% as a result of the Green Deal [50] (pp. 12–16)

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