The European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which came into effect in June 2023, marked a historic milestone in the global fight against deforestation. As the first law of its kind worldwide, the EUDR garnered overwhelming support from EU member states and the European Parliament, signaling a unified resolve to end the EU’s complicity in global forest destruction. The regulation is designed to ensure that only products proven to be deforestation-free—such as those made from cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, and rubber—can access the EU market.
Challenges and Opposition
However, as the December 30, 2024, implementation deadline approaches, the initial optimism surrounding the EUDR has been overshadowed by mounting opposition and negative narratives. Several EU member states, including Austria, Czechia, Finland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden, alongside the European People’s Party (EPP), have called for a delay in the law’s implementation. These calls have been echoed by external pressures from the United States, where Secretaries of Commerce and Agriculture have expressed concerns about the challenges the EUDR poses to American producers.
Critics have raised alarms about potential consequences, such as the exacerbation of Europe’s cocaine problem, as farmers in countries like Peru and Colombia might shift from growing coffee and cacao to coca leaves due to difficulties in proving their crops are deforestation-free. Furthermore, concerns about the availability of essential products, such as diapers and sanitary pads, have been voiced by US paper-makers, while the European timber industry has labeled the regulation as an overly complex and burdensome “regulatory monster.” These arguments have been set against the backdrop of warnings about rising prices for food, beverages, and other goods.
The True Picture: Industry Sabotage vs. Galvanizing Progress
The divisiveness surrounding the EUDR can be attributed to two key factors. First, agricultural deforestation is an entrenched and multifaceted problem, making its eradication a daunting task. Organizations like Fern, which have long advocated for regulations to combat illegal deforestation linked to EU imports, emphasize the importance of providing specific support to smallholders. This support is crucial to ensure they are not squeezed out of supply chains as companies comply with the new law.
Second, powerful vested interests within affected industries and EU member states are actively working to undermine the regulation. These industries, fearing the impact on their profits, have launched concerted efforts to delay or dilute the EUDR.
Yet, despite the negative headlines, the reality on the ground tells a different story. Preparations for the EUDR’s implementation are steadily progressing. In Ghana, the world’s largest cocoa producer, the cocoa regulator COCOBOD has announced that its traceability system, which will ensure the sustainability of cocoa beans from farm to port, will be operational by October 2024. Similarly, in Côte d’Ivoire, the government is rolling out ID cards to farmers, enhancing traceability and preventing fraudulent underpayments that have long plagued small-scale farmers.
See also: EPP Environment Lead Calls for Delay to Anti-Deforestation Law
Global Support for the EUDR
Support for the EUDR is not confined to Europe. In recent months, 120 civil society and farmer organizations from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire have urged EU decision-makers to resist calls for delaying the law. This plea is echoed by over 170 NGOs worldwide, including the Articulação dos Povos Indígenas do Brasil (APIB), which represents more than 300 Indigenous Peoples’ groups in Brazil. APIB views the EUDR as a critical tool for protecting not only the Amazon but also Indigenous Peoples’ territorial rights. Earlier this year, APIB called for the EUDR to be expanded to include non-forest biomes, such as the Cerrado.
Consumer goods giants, too, have voiced their support for the EUDR. In July, major companies like Nestlé, Mars Wrigley, and Ferrero wrote to the European Commission, describing the law as a significant step forward in transforming the cocoa and chocolate sector. These companies emphasized the need for increased EU support, including funding to help smallholders adapt to the new requirements and establishing equitable partnerships with producing countries.
A Global Imperative: Moving Forward with the EUDR
The urgency of implementing the EUDR cannot be overstated. Last year alone, the world lost an area of forest almost the size of Switzerland, contributing to massive carbon emissions that exacerbate climate change. Delaying or abandoning the EUDR at this critical juncture would be a grave mistake, undermining the EU’s leadership in the global fight against deforestation.
The success of the EUDR will depend on how effectively it is implemented. The EU must rise to the inevitable challenges and increase its support for affected smallholders and producing countries. This is not just a matter of environmental stewardship; it is also a moral imperative to protect the livelihoods of millions of people who depend on sustainable agricultural practices.
In conclusion, delaying the EU’s anti-deforestation law is not an option. We must redouble our commitment to making it work and resist those who seek to undermine it out of short-sighted self-interest. The future of our planet’s forests, the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the well-being of countless smallholders hang in the balance. The EU has a responsibility to lead by example and ensure that the EUDR is implemented effectively and on time.