Summary

As the twenty-first century unfolds, food safety regulation and the governance of regional and global biotechnology markets present new and more complex challenges for governments, agri-food industries and multilateral organizations. The contributors to this comprehensive volume detail the implications of globalization, free trade and regional market integration on the ability of national governments to regulate food safety in the food and biotechnology sectors.

In the absence of a global government, the regulation of markets and industries depends on extensive regional and multilateral policy cooperation and regulatory harmonization to protect citizens, farmers and the collective good of nations. As the chapters in this book make clear, the solution to today's food safety problems depends on more than just setting the right regulatory policy and industry standards. On the contrary, food safety now depends on creating the right kinds of transatlantic, regional and multilateral regulatory institutions and policy networks of food safety authorities to establish and enforce global regulations and industry standards. By focusing on the transatlantic, regional and multilateral regulation and governance of food safety, this book offers valuable insight into one of the most pressing international problems of today and sheds light on much larger questions about governance in a global economy. Chapters cover a wide array of countries and regions, from North and South America to Europe, Africa and Asia.

The complexity of this issue and the challenges facing national policymakers and networks of regulatory authorities make this volume a must-read for all those involved in the regulation of food and biotechnology industries and the policy institutions charged with regulating them.