Sustainable Agricultural Trade: Turning an NRP73 Project into a Book
10.04.2024
Based on the NRP73 project: Book Publication on Sustainable Agricultural Trade
Under the NRP-73 focus area of Governance, Dr. Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi led the project «Sustainable Trade Relations for Diversified Food Systems». The project aimed to show how Article 104a lit. d of the Federal Constitution could be implemented in concrete terms. According to this article, the Confederation must create conditions for «cross-border trade relations that contribute to the sustainable development of agriculture and the food industry».
Through the creation of various scientific publications, engagement with stakeholders, and a concrete legislative proposal for sustainable agricultural trade, the project has significantly influenced the debate on sustainability in trade. It demonstrates how countries can distinguish particularly valuable, sustainably produced food from non-sustainably produced ones in their trade relations, without violating important principles of the trade framework, such as the principle of non-discrimination.
In collaboration with Dr. Judith Schäli, Dr. Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi has published the book «Federal Act on Sustainable Trade in Agriculture? A Proposal for the Implementation of Art. 104a lit. D of the Swiss Federal Constitution» with DIKE Publishing this year. The proposal is available in German, English, and French. The editors, together with the 13 authors, explain how a globally intertwined food system could be made more sustainable through careful trade regulation. All studies produced during the project are linked to the legislative proposal.
You can find the publication here: Federal Act on Sustainable Trade in Agriculture ?
Links
https://nfp73.ch/en/projects/sustainable-trade-relations-for-diversified-food-systems
Contact
Dr. iur. Elisabeth Bürgi Bonanomi
Attorney and Lecturer
Head of Sustainability Governance Impact Area
Centre for Development and Environment CDE, UniversityBern
Phone: +41 31 684 39 40
Mail: elisabeth.buergi@unibe.ch