German Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir has called on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to intervene in the implementation of the new EU anti-deforestation law, which is due to come into force on 1 January 2025. According to many importers and exporters and trade organisations, the prescribed new rules and control mechanisms are not yet sufficiently developed.
Many companies, particularly in agriculture and forestry, are still struggling to implement traceability systems that make it clear that their products have not been produced from deforested rainforests. This raises concerns about their practicality, particularly within the agricultural sector, and raises questions about the impact on international trade.
Özdemir made his appeal at the monthly meeting of the agricultural ministers of the 27 EU countries. He repeated his earlier comparison of this deforestation law with the (now cancelled) SUR pesticide law, also an important part of the Green Deal of the former Dutch commissioner Frans Timmermans. According to Özdemir (Greens), these proposals are not pragmatic enough.
Agriculture Commissioner Janus Wojciechowski has already said that Brussels wants to stick to the implementation date. Many EU countries say that the untested and faltering controls show that the new law will cause a lot of hassle. In the European Parliament, the Christian Democratic EPP group is also trying to have the bill postponed, in order to be able to make major adjustments. Other parties in Strasbourg do not (yet?) agree with this.
Environmental groups have reacted strongly to the call from Germany and other EU countries. They point out that further delays could have disastrous consequences for the environment, given the need to combat global deforestation. They call on the European Commission not to be swayed by economic and political pressure, and that the EU must continue to play a leading role in the fight against deforestation.
While the European Commission is sticking to the key implementation date, there are some behind-the-scenes solutions being worked on. Ursula von der Leyen has indicated that she is open to pragmatic proposals, but that the primary goal – halting deforestation – should not be lost sight of. The issue falls on Commission President von der Leyen’s plate because current Agriculture Commissioner Wojciechowski is stepping down, but his successor (Luxembourg’s Christophe Hansen) has not yet been formally appointed.
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is designed to prevent products such as timber, soy, palm oil, coffee and rubber, originating from deforested areas, from entering the European market. This applies not only to imports from non-EU countries, but also (due to the principle of equality) to imports and exports between EU countries.