EU agrees new law to kick deforestation out of supply chains

(EurActiv, 6 Dec 2022) EU legislators reached an agreement in the early hours of Tuesday (6 December) to pass a new law guaranteeing that products sold in the EU are not linked to the destruction or degradation of forests.

Between 1990 and 2020, an area larger than the EU was lost to deforestation, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation. EU consumption is a big driver of this, causing around 10% of the losses, according to the FAO.

“The EU is a large consumer and trader of commodities that play a substantial part in deforestation – like beef, cocoa, soy and timber,” said Marian Jurečka the environment minister from the Czech Republic, which negotiated on behalf of the 27 EU countries.

“Protecting the environment around the world, including forests and rainforests, is a common goal for all countries and the EU is ready to take its responsibility,” he added.

The new law will require all companies to issue a due diligence statement in order to sell products like coffee, cocoa and wood on the EU market. Those linked to deforestation will be banned from import and export into the EU.

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EurActiv, 6 Dec 2022: EU agrees new law to kick deforestation out of supply chains