BLOCKCHAIN-BASED TRACEABILITY IN AGROECOLOGY: LEGAL GOVERNANCE UNDER EUROPEAN UNION LAW
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Abstract
The article examines the legal significance of blockchain-based traceability for agro- ecological production and agri-food value chains under European Union law. The research is based on the hypothesis that distributed ledger technologies can support agroecological transformation only when they are embedded in a wider framework of data governance, environmental due diligence, organic certification, consumer protection and fundamental rights. The purpose of the article is to identify how blockchain may strengthen the credibility of agro- ecological claims and, at the same time, what legal limits prevent it from becoming a substitute for public control, certification and accountability. The methodology combines legal analysis of EU regulatory acts, systemic interpretation, comparative assessment of technological and legal functions, and a risk-based approach to digital tools in agriculture. The article argues that blockchain is most useful as an evidentiary infrastructure for recording events, documents and responsibilities across supply chains, especially in organic production, deforestation-free trade and precision agriculture. However, the reliability of such systems depends on the quality of input data, governance of smart contracts, access rights, interoperability, cybersecurity and compliance with data protection law. The study concludes that EU law is moving toward a model in which blockchain may become a technical layer of sustainable agri-food governance, but not an autonomous source of legal truth.
How to Cite
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distributed ledger, sustainable farming, European Green Deal, data gov- ernance, supply-chain traceability, organic production, deforestation due diligence, smart contracts.
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