36
Agrarian Law
REGGIO DI CALABRIA
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims to provide a systematic understanding of agri-food law through the analysis of its principal legal institutions and the regulatory framework governing the production and marketing of agri-food products within both the national and European contexts. It seeks to develop students’ ability to understand and interpret the rules governing the sector in light of the economic dynamics and public policies that shape it.
Particular attention is devoted to the Common Agricultural Policy, the food safety system, the free movement of products within the internal market, and operators responsibilities, in order to enable students to undertake a critical assessment of the role of regulation in structuring supply chains, shaping business strategies, and ensuring consumer protection.
The overall objective is to provide students with the legal tools necessary to grasp the complexity of the regulatory framework governing the agri-food sector and its economic and organisational implications.
Course Prerequisites
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Teaching Methods
Lectures; simulation of case law scenarios.
Assessment Methods
Mid-term oral assessment, for attending students, involving the presentation of a case law.
Final oral examination aimed at assessing the knowledge acquired.
Non-attending students are required to discuss orally the contents of the recommended textbook.
The oral exam will be graded on the following scale:
- 30 - 30 with honors: Complete, detailed, and in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, with correct terminology. Excellent understanding, distinguishing key points and developing interdisciplinary connections. Consolidated ability to apply knowledge and analyze results. Clear, structured, logical, and concise presentation.
- 28 - 29: In-depth knowledge, correct terminology, and explanation of the main concepts. Solid understanding, framing of key points, and discussion with individual insights. Excellent ability to apply knowledge and analyze results. Clear, articulate, logical, and mature presentation, albeit with some inaccuracies.
- 25 - 27: Extensive knowledge, although without fully explaining the relevant content. Use of terminology, not always accurate, identifying key concepts. Adequate understanding, distinguishing key points without fully framing them. Good ability to apply knowledge. Clear presentation, but not always complete, with schematic organization and sometimes fragmented thoughts.
- 22 - 24: Acceptable knowledge, albeit with gaps and some confusion in certain concepts. Essential understanding, not always framing the topics or inaccurate. Fair ability to apply fundamental concepts. Correct presentation, but without a clear and coherent structure, including irrelevant material.
- 18 - 21: Limited knowledge, with numerous gaps and an inability to illustrate key concepts completely and accurately. Basic understanding, with difficulty distinguishing and framing key points correctly. Uncertainty in applying the fundamental concepts of the subject.
- Fail: Poor, fragmented, and incomplete knowledge, lacking essential content. Serious errors in comprehension, failure to answer numerous questions, and failure to identify key concepts. Errors in applying fundamental concepts, failure to achieve an acceptable level of articulation of thought.
Texts
Costato et al., Compendio di diritto alimentare, XI ed°, Milano, 2025.
Contents
The course provides a comprehensive overview of the regulatory framework governing agricultural and food production.
The first part of the course focuses on the system of legal sources of agricultural and agri-food law at national, European, and international levels, with particular attention to the allocation of competences and potential conflicts of powers. Within this framework, the distinctive features and specific characteristics of the field are examined, together with the concept of agriculture as shaped by both European Union and national legislators. Particular emphasis is placed on the evolution of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and, from a national perspective, on the legal framework governing the exercise of agricultural activity in the form of an enterprise, taking into account the specific features of the sector and the increasing emphasis on the multifunctionality of the agricultural holding.
The second part of the course addresses the development of agri-food law and the principles underpinning it, as shaped by case law and by Regulation (EC) No 178/2002. It analyses the system of rules and principles established by the European Union to ensure food safety, as well as the role and responsibilities assigned to food business operators (FBOs). In examining the regulatory framework governing the production and marketing of agri-food products, particular attention is devoted to food information to consumer (including origin labelling, nutrition and health claims, “green claims”, and public and private certification schemes. Specific consideration is also given to the legal regime governing Protected Designations of Origin and Protected Geographical Indications, together with the relevant case law).
The final part of the course explores the legal dimensions of innovation in the agri-food sector, analysing the regulatory framework applicable to GMOs, new genomic techniques and novel foods, with particular attention to issues of legal classification and the main challenges arising in practice.