A proteção do consumidor e o consumo sustentável: a dimensão global e regional do consumo sustentável e as iniciativas nacionais

Sandra C. Negro 92 alcance e importancia de alimentos para la región, en segundo lugar, la regulación en el sector de alimentos, luego los mecanismos de control y vigilancia desarrollados en ámbito MERCOSUR tanto en la produc- ción como para la comercialización para el mercado interno como para la exportación y las nuevas tendencias hacia productos orgánicos, para concluir con reflexiones finales. Palabras claves : Alimentos. Políticas. Calidad. Seguridad. Competitivi- dad. MERCOSUR. Abstract : The trend towards the consumption of safe and quality food increased in the last decades of the 20th century and is confirmed in the 21st century. Each State needs to respond to the requirements of con- sumers who are increasingly demanding and concerned about consumer habits. In turn, the integration processes, including MERCOSUR, have developed a set of rules, standards and control practices so that safe and quality food is produced and sold. In this context, the need arises for MERCOSUR to have a food policy based on the quality and safety of both the food that is produced and those that are marketed in the com- mon market. The companies, the States and the MERCOSUR’s structure themselves are involved to ensure the consumption of quality and safe food at the same time, increase the competitiveness of the products both in the expanded market and in markets of third countries to which they are export. In this article, in the first place, the scope and importance of food for the region will be observed, secondly, the regulation in the food sector, then the control and surveillance mechanisms developed in the MERCOSUR field both in production and for commercialization for the domestic market as well as for export and new trends towards organic products, to conclude with final reflections. Keywords : Food. Policies. Quality. Safety. Competitiveness. MERCOSUR. Sumario : 1. Alcance e importancia de alimentos para la región; 2. Re- gulación en el sector de alimentos: tarea de armonización de normas de alimentos en el MERCOSUR; 3. Mecanismos de control y vigilancia de- sarrollados en el ámbito MERCOSUR tanto en la producción como para la comercialización para el mercado interno como para la exportación; 4. Nuevas tendencias: los productos orgánicos. Experiencia mercosureña; 5. Reflexiones finales; Referencias.