Legal support for the activities of agricultural transnational corporations in Ukraine

Abstract

Agricultural transnational corporations have always expressed interest in Ukraine as a state with a strong natural potential and good and reliable prospects for agribusiness. Under the influence of factors such as climate change, an unprecedented increase in the world's population and, as a result, a high demand for agricultural products, this interest will increase, and the role of agricultural transnational corporations will grow every year. Therefore, one of the most urgent research and practical problems that lawyers will have to solve is the definition of the key term “agricultural transnational corporations” and the identification of their features. This will allow the Ukrainian legislator to regulate complex and multidimensional relations with their participation in the agricultural sector as accurately as possible and, in particular, govern relations concerning the activities of these subjects of agricultural business, and eliminate gaps in the current legal regulation. Considering this, the purpose of this study was to attempt establishing the essence of agricultural transnational corporations as a legal phenomenon based on an in-depth analysis and to define this term, classify these corporations on certain grounds and establish the specific features of their activities. The study was conducted considering the existing legal support of these participants in agribusiness relations. Research methods included a set of philosophical, general scientific, and special legal methods. The synergetic research method was the fundamental method of understanding the legal support of agricultural transnational corporations. It was proved that an agricultural transnational corporation is a complex entity that engages in agricultural activities in two or more countries, is managed and controlled from a single centre and comprises a parent company, subsidiaries, branches, and departments. The study analysed positive and negative aspects of the activities of agricultural transnational corporations. It was established out that the following agricultural transnational corporations act in Ukraine: in the field of crop production, animal husbandry, processing, servicing agricultural producers, and with mixed activities (simultaneously engaged in both crop production and animal husbandry). It was emphasised that the agricultural chain of a transnational corporation can cover different countries