Open Data and Food Law in the Digital Era: Empowering Citizens through ICT Technology

The role of Open Data in supporting and strengthening civic participation is still under development, but increasingly relevant. The aim of this paper is to examine the concept of Open Data in relation to a specific context, namely the food sector in the EU. A brief description of the state of the art of the EU legal framework on Open Data will serve as a departure point towards a deeper discussion on the relationship between Open Data and the food sector. Firstly, my intention is to comprehend whether and how Open Data could offer the citizenry new forms of communication and information sharing, through which interactive food-related choices and new research activities can be performed. Then, I will reflect on the consequences Open Data may have on digital interactions concerning ICT-mediated knowledge production and the food sector, by analysing the new Regulation on food information, and understanding the linked implications for civil society.