Home » Palm oil and coffee in the sights of Brussels, Gentiloni: “Those who consume forests will not have access to the single EU market”

Palm oil and coffee in the sights of Brussels, Gentiloni: “Those who consume forests will not have access to the single EU market”

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“Those who consume forests will not have access to the single EU market”. The European Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, writes on Twitter, commenting on the new measures presented by Brussels to limit imports of raw materials linked to deforestation. “The sale of meat, soy, palm oil, wood, cocoa and coffee produced in areas of new deforestation will not be allowed”, highlights Gentiloni.

The new EU regulation against deforestation establishes mandatory due diligence rules for operators who place on the EU market specific products associated with deforestation and forest degradation: soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa and coffee and some derivative products, such as leather, chocolate and furniture. The aim is to ensure that only deforestation-free and legal products (according to the laws of the country of origin) are allowed on the EU market. Companies will be required to collect the geographical coordinates of the land where the goods they import on the European market were produced. This rigorous traceability is intended to ensure that only deforestation-free products enter the EU market and that Member States’ law enforcement authorities have the necessary means to monitor this. A benchmarking system managed by the Commission will identify countries that present low, standard or high risk of producing raw materials or products that are not free from deforestation or in compliance with the legislation of the producing country.

Obligations for companies and authorities will vary based on the risk level of the country or region of production, with simplified due diligence requirements for products from low-risk areas and strengthened controls for high-risk areas. Companies placing relevant raw materials and products on the market will be monitored and held accountable by the enforcement authorities if they fail to comply with the regulation requirements. Companies will need to submit a declaration to a European information system confirming that they have successfully exercised due diligence and that the products they place on the market comply with EU standards.

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This declaration will also provide essential information for monitoring, i.e. the geographical coordinates of the farm or plantation where the raw materials were grown. In particular, they will have to ensure that the goods and products have not been produced on deforested or degraded land after 31 December 2020 and that they have been produced in accordance with the laws of the country of production. Failure to comply with either of the two requirements will result in a ban on placing these products on the EU market.

By promoting the consumption of “deforestation-free” products and reducing the costs of the EU’s impact on global deforestation and forest degradation, the new rules are expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. Ultimately, addressing deforestation and forest degradation will have positive impacts on local communities, including the most vulnerable people such as indigenous peoples, who are heavily dependent on forest ecosystems.

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