Ignacio Carreño García is a German lawyer (of Spanish nationality) with a Master’s degree in EU law from the University Carlos III in Madrid. He graduated in law at the University of Bielefeld, Germany where he also completed a European and International Trade Law Program.
Between 1997 and 1999 he worked in different German Institutions and trained in law firms in Düsseldorf and Barcelona.
He has been practising in Brussels since 2000. He specialises in EU food and agricultural law and has been involved in a wide variety of projects regarding the approximation of food and agricultural law in the Central and Eastern European Countries.
Since 2000 he has worked on a number of Court cases at the General Court of the EU and on issues such as the free movement of agricultural products and foodstuffs within the EU, market access matters (related to EU RASFF notifications, MRLs for agrochemicals, and veterinary medicines), sanitary and phytosanitary regulation, technical barriers to trade, product safety, plant protection products and food labelling. He has worked in International consultancy projects, including the assessment of food legislation, matters relating to Codex Alimentarius and other standard setting bodies and the WTO SPS and TBT Agreements.
Ignacio has reviewed the food law of all countries which have joined the EU in May 2004 and in 2007 to verify compliance with EU law. He assesses legal compliance of food labels in the EU and selected EU Member States, including the assessment of nutrition and health claims, nutrition labelling, ingredients lists, addition of vitamins and minerals or other substances (such as herbal ingredients) to food, and labelling of allergens.
In November 2016, Ignacio was appointed as a Member of the Editorial Board of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
In January 2008 he joined the trade team of FratiniVergano, where he is responsible for internal market, agriculture and food law. Ignacio is member of the Düsseldorf Bar (Rechtsanwaltskammer).
"To address ‘greenwashing’ and misleading environmental claims, the European Commission publishes a proposal on ‘green claims’ and their substantiation", Vol. 14, Issue 3/2023 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation, pp. 607–611.
“France Bans ‘Meaty’ Terms for Plant-Based Products: Will the European Union Follow?”, Vol. 13, Issue 4/2022 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation, pp. 665–669.
“Achieving sustainability of the EU food chain with feed additives as a key tool: the European Commission intends to modernise the legal framework to foster innovation” (with Fabrizio De Angelis), Volume 12, Issue 4, December 2021 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR), pp. 866-870.
“The Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Trade” (with Tobias Dolle, Lourdes Medina Perez and Moritz Brandenburger), Special Issue No. 2/2020 'Taming COVID-19 By Regulation' of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR), pp. 402-410.
“An update on ‘negative claims’ in the EU and in EU Member States” (with Tobias Dolle), ERA Forum, 20(4), pp. 549–566.
“COOL potatoes? Poland plans to introduce mandatory country of origin labelling for fresh potatoes” (with Lourdes Medina), Issue 1/2019 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR), pp. 208-218.
"The Court of Justice of the European Union's Judgment on Mutagenesis and International Trade: A Case of GMO, Mutatis Mutandis?" (with Tobias Dolle), Issue 3/2019 of the of the Global Trade and Customs Journal (GTCJ), pp. 91-101.
“Tofu Steaks? Developments on the Naming and Marketing of Plant-based Foods in the Aftermath of the TofuTown Judgement” (with Tobias Dolle), Issue 3/2018 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR), pp. 575-584.
"International Standards and Regulation on Food Irradiation" in "Food Irradiation Technologies: Concepts, Applications and Outcomes", edited by Isabel C. F. R. Ferreira, Amilcar L. Antonio and Sandra Cabo Verde, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge (2017), pp. 5-27.
“A Myriad of EU Member States’ Measures on Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling (COOL) of Food Compromise the EU Internal Market” (with Tobias Dolle), Issue 4/2017 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR), pp. 779-786.
“The Regulatory Framework on Plant Protection Products in the United Kingdom after Brexit” (with Tobias Dolle), Issue 4/2017 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR), pp. 766-771.
"Huiles végétales : le contexte légal européen et son évolution (étiquetage et allégations)" (with Tobias Dolle), Le Déméter 2018, pp. 143-156.
"Developments on Front-of-Pack Nutrition Declarations in the EU - France Recommends to Food Business Operators an Additional Form of Presentation", Issue 4/2017 of European Food and Feed Law Review (EFFL), pp. 321-325.
“Country of Origin Labelling on the Rise in EU Member States – An Analysis under EU law and the EU’s International Trade Obligations” (with Tobias Dolle and Yury Rovnov), Issue 2/2017 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR), pp. 414-423.
“The Relationship between Public Health and IP Rights: Chile Prosecutes Kellogg’s, Nestlé and Masterfoods for Using Cartoons Aimed at Attracting Children” (with Tobias Dolle), Issue 1/2017 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“L'étiquetage “clean” et les allégations “sans huile de palme” “évidentes” et “trompeuses”” (with Tobias Dolle), Issue 1/2016 of the Revue européenne de droit de la consommation (REDC).
“The interface between nutrition and health claims and EU trademark law” (with Eugenia Laurenza), in “The New Intellectual Property of Health - Beyond Plain Packaging” (Edited by Alberto Alemanno and Enrico Bonadio) Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd (2016).
“An Update on Nutrient Profiles in Light of the Dextro Energy Judgment of the EU General Court”, Issue 3/2016 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“Geographical indications, “Food Fraud” and the Fight Against “Italian sounding” Products” (with Paolo R. Vergano), Issue 2/2016 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
"Food intended for sportspeople: the EU’s regulatory framework after 20 July 2016" (with Tobias Dolle), Issue 1/2016 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
"Chile’s Black STOP Sign for Foods High in Fat, Salt or Sugar", Issue 4/2015 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“German Jurisprudence on ‘Probiotic’ Claims on Baby Food, Trademarks as ‘Health Claims’ and Transitional Use of Existing Trademarks”, Issue 3/2015 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“Edible Insects and Insect-based Products in the EU: Safety Assessments, Legal Loopholes and Business Opportunities” (with Eugenia C. Laurenza), Issue 2/2015 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“Clean Labels and “Self-evident” and “Flagrantly Misleading” “Palm Oil-free” Claims” (with Paolo R. Vergano), Issue 2/2015 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“Ukraine adopts new food safety legislation in order to align its legal framework with that of the EU” (with Anna L. Gladshtein), Issue 1/2015 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“Uses and potential abuses of ‘negative claims’ in the EU: the urgent need for better regulation” (with Paolo R. Vergano), Issue 4/2014 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“Energy drinks: Stricter health warnings on caffeine content in the EU and sales bans to minors and new excise taxes”, Issue 4/2014 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“European Commission proposes to revise the EU’s legislative framework on novel foods and animal cloning”, Issue 3/2014 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR).
“New EU Rules on the Country of Origin Labelling for Meat of Swine, Sheep, Goats and Poultry”, European Journal of Risk Regulation 2/2014: pp. 2013-2017.
“The European Commission Considers the UK Traffic Light Nutrition – Labelling Scheme as Voluntary Nutritional Information and Not as a ‘Non-Beneficial’ Nutrition Claim”, European Journal of Risk Regulation 1/2014: pp. 61-64.
“Hungary and Belgium Intend Limiting Trans Fats in Foodstuffs, as Done by other EU Member States”, European Journal of Risk Regulation 4/2013: pp. 527-530.
“The EU Single Market for Green Products and the Proliferation of Environmental Claims”, European Journal of Risk Regulation 3/2013: pp. 355-357.
“The Labelling of Honey in the Aftermath of EFSA’s Scientific Opinion on Maize MON810 Pollen”, European Journal of Risk Regulation 2/2013: pp. 252-254.
“Fat Taxes in Europe and Beyond – a Legal and Policy Analysis Under EU and WTO Law” (with Alberto Alemanno), European Food and Feed Law Review (EFFL) 2/2013.
“Substantial Amendment of the EU Regulatory Framework on Medical Devices and International Trade Implications”, European Journal of Risk Regulation 1/2013: pp. 97-100.
“No Risk Assessment for Additional Uses of Existing Food Additives in the EU”, European Journal of Risk Regulation 4/2012: pp. 580-582.
“Food Irradiation: The EU Regulatory Framework, Risk Assessment and International Trade Considerations” (with Paolo R. Vergano), Issue 3/2012 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR), September 2012.
“Fat taxes in Europe: A Legal and Policy Analysis under EU and WTO Law” (with Alberto Alemanno), HEC Policy Paper, September 2012.
“EU and US Mutually Recognise their Respective Organic Standards and Control Systems as Equivalent”, European Journal of Risk Regulation, EJRR 2/2012.
“Overview of the Standard of Review for Possible Justifications to Introduce National Food Labelling Rules in the EU”, European Journal of Risk Regulation, EJRR 2/2012.
“Addressing the Solution of SPS and TBT Matters through Trade Negotiations” (with Eugenia Laurenza), in “Research Handbook on the WTO Agriculture Agreement: New and Emerging Issues in International Agricultural Trade Law”, Research Handbooks on the WTO Series, edited by Joseph McMahon and Melaku Geboye Desta. Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd January 2012.
“German Court Orders Change to Nutrition Labelling on Nutella Due to its Misleading Nature”, European Journal of Risk Regulation, EJRR 1/2012.
“Fat taxes in the EU Between Fiscal Austerity and the Fight Against Obesity” (with Alberto Alemanno), European Journal of Risk Regulation, EJRR 4/2011.
“Does one size really fits all? - Guidelines for understanding harmonization in the SPS and TBT agreements”, World Bank Report, with Michael Friis Jensen, Paolo Vergano and Eugenia Laurenza (2009).
“Private Voluntary Standards within the WTO Multilateral Framework”, Legal analysis in the study commissioned by the United Kingdom Department for International Development under the Programme of Advisory and Support Services (WTO document G/SPS/GEN/802 of 9 October 2007).
“TBT and Agriculture: Some examples”, “Agriculture in WTO Law”, Cameron May Ltd, July 2005.
“The New European Community Rules on the Labeling of Allergen Ingredients in Foodstuffs”, Food and Drug Law Journal, October 2005 (Volume 60, No.3, p. 375).
“Safeguard measures in EC food law” (with Gijs Berends), European Law Review, June 2005 (Volume 30, No. 3, p. 386).
“Barriers to Trade in the Food Law of the EU Candidate Countries?”, Zeitschrift für Lebensmittelrecht (Germany) 6/2002, p. 804-813.