The EU’s growing pains in negotiating international food standards

This article published in the journal International Relations relates the EU’s effectiveness to its international actorness in negotiations on international food standards taking place in the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC).

The European Commission took the lead in negotiations on growth promoters for livestock, whose use the EU opposes following some hormone-related food scandals. It was trusted and supported by the EU member states, but its dominant role resulted in them being rather passive.

Other states did not understand well how the EU operates and were irritated by it occupying many seats, but operating on the basis of one position. As a result, the EU’s effectiveness in the negotiations was not used to its full potential.

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