The influence of culture on food safety regulations and international trade disputes

Abstract

This thesis investigates the role of consumer based and cultural influences in the area of food regulation and international trade. Firstly, the thesis endeavours to identify the essence and manifestation of these influences. Secondly, the thesis investigates whether or not they have been incorporated into existing food regulatory measures, and if so, their impact on the actual food regulatory measures enacted. The thesis progresses the analysis by investigating whether or not these cultural influences have any role to play in the drafting and application of international trade laws by analysing the operation of the WTO Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement).