Addressing illicit trade in food and food fraud

The WTO rulebook can be used by members in the fight against illicit trade in food and food fraud, in particular the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) and the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement). This chapter explores the various definitions of food fraud, providing an overview of the main food products that have been the target of fraud, and the most notable incidents that have arisen over the past two decades. Building on the outcomes of the WTO’s Annual Agriculture Symposium in December 2023 dedicated to this topic, the chapter asks whether it is time for a more explicit conversation at the WTO.