Few firms in the region have developed dedicated capability at the intersection of food regulation, agricultural trade, food technology, and cross-border regulatory compliance. Peter Ong & Nair’s Food Law & Agri-Tech Practice Group does.

OECD–FAO projections indicate that Asia and the Pacific accounted for approximately 54% of global agriculture and fish production between 2022 and 2024, with total regional output expected to increase by 14.5% by 2034. At the same time, ASEAN accounted for approximately 9.5% of the EU’s total agri-food imports in 2024, with trade value continuing to grow into 2025.
 

For Asian businesses engaged in this corridor, whether as producers, processors, traders, aquaculture operators, or food technology ventures, the applicable legal frameworks are multi-layered and technically detailed. These frameworks require careful coordination across jurisdictions to support market access, product integrity, and commercial operations. The legal considerations in this space engage multiple, often concurrent, bodies of law. Regulatory compliance, product approval, labelling requirements, intellectual property protection, contractual structuring, and supply chain due diligence obligations do not operate in isolation. Addressing them effectively requires a coordinated approach that takes into account both domestic frameworks and the regulatory environment of the destination jurisdiction.
 

We advise food businesses, agri-tech ventures, producers, traders, and investors, including those operating across aquaculture and seafood supply chains, on the legal dimensions of operating in and across regulated food and agricultural environments. Our practice covers regulatory compliance, product integrity, intellectual property, trade structuring, and the legal considerations arising from food innovation, including novel foods, alternative proteins, and technology-driven agricultural applications.

A significant part of our work involves supporting Asian businesses in navigating the legal requirements applicable to their engagement with European food and agricultural regulatory frameworks. Where matters require jurisdiction-specific advice, we work in coordination with European counsel to ensure that legal positions are grounded in the applicable requirements on both sides of the relationship.
 

Our work in this space also extends to aquaculture and marine-based food systems. In this context, we support clients on regulatory, sustainability, and supply chain considerations arising from aquaculture operations, marine resource use, and evolving traceability and environmental requirements in cross-border trade.