Food security is a sensitive topic since MERCOSUR is one of the biggest food exporters in the world. Accordingly, this has created some internal conflicts within the EU (as discussed in webinar #1) such as that it has been argued that, for example, MERCOSUR may not comply with sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) regulations, which could lower cost of food production as well as put EU consumers at risk. However, the aim of the agreement also is to ensure food security and protect public health. Indeed, food security plays a central role in the development and well- being of populations, especially in the most vulnerable settings: specifically, SDG 2 (UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)). This SDG aims to ensure people’s access to and availability of nutritious food and to ensure new forms of agricultural productivity that improve food security globally, through sustainable and environmentally friendly methods.

Indeed, the World Food Summit (Rome 1996) states: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. This definition introduced four dimensions of food security and to a large part food safety is included under this definition and is mainly used to describe the SPS measures.