Global Food Value Chains and Competition Law: Book Launch

The book written by a large international group of authors (edited by Ioannis Lianos, Alexey Ivanov, and Dennis Davis) was prepared under the guidance of the BRICS Competition Law and Policy Centre as a part of the Centre’s research project on global food value chains. The book explores potential responses to the challenges posed by the transition to the green economy and sustainable production. We expect it to have a significant impact on the public debate in the times of intense market change and surging food prices. 

This volume introduces the global value chain approach as a useful way to analyse competition law and applies it to the operations of food chains and the challenges of their regulation. Together, the chapters not only provide a comprehensive mapping of a vast comparative field, but also shed light on the intricacies of the various policies and legal fields in operation. The book offers a conceptual and theoretical framework for competition authorities, companies and academics, and fills a massive gap in the competition policy literature dealing with global value chains and food.

The world is transitioning from a period of food abundance to that of food scarcity. While the world population has doubled in recent decades, the volume of food trade has increased sixfold. This means that many countries are becoming less self-sufficient in grain supplies. The price spikes cause governments to raise export barriers to prevent food shortages in domestic markets. By disrupting global food supplies, price volatility undermines regional food security and contributes to social and political instability. The panellists will discuss how healthy competition in global food markets can contribute to food security and what role competition authorities may play in bringing about a more stable market environment.

The discussion will aim to explore a new framework of analysis for competition law and policy, but also the broader field of regulation of the food economy, drawing on the concept of global value chains (GVCs) which now prevail in the global economy.

Main questions for discussion:

• What are the new challenges in the global food markets that could be effectively tackled by competition authorities?
• What role do competition issues play in food security?
• Relevant international experience: national responses to the food crisis to ensure fair competition.
• Possible ways to prevent anticompetitive practices and negative effects in global food markets.
• How should competition authorities deal with public commitments for biodiversity, sustainability, green economy, etc.?

The event will be held in a hybrid format and will be streamed live online on several media platforms in the Russian, English and Chinese languages. Please be advised to visit this page to join the stream on the day of the event!

Contact person: Lyubov Korotetskaya, lkorotetskaya@hse.ru