Brussels, 14 November 2024
The EU Parliament decided today to give companies one more year to comply with the new EU deforestation regulation.
In response to concerns raised by EU member states, non-EU countries, traders and operators that they would not be able to fully comply with the rules if applied as of end of 2024, the Commission proposed postponing the application date of the deforestation regulation by one year. Plenary agreed in October 2024 to deal with the proposal under the urgency procedure – Rule 170(6). Today, it agreed to this postponement as well as other amendments with 371 votes to 240 and 30 abstentions.
Large operators and traders would have to respect the obligations stemming from this regulation as of 30 December 2025, whereas micro- and small enterprises would have until 30 June 2026. This additional time would help operators around the world to implement the rules smoothly from the start without undermining the objectives of the law.
Parliament also adopted other amendments proposed by political groups, including the creation of a new category of countries posing “no risk” on deforestation in addition to the existing three categories of “low”, “standard” and “high” risk. Countries classified as “no risk”, defined as countries with stable or increasing forest area development, would face significantly less stringent requirements as there is a negligible or non-existent risk of deforestation. The Commission will have to finalise a country benchmarking system by 30 June 2025.
Next steps
Parliament decided to refer this file back to committee for interinstitutional negotiations. In order for these changes to enter into force, the agreed text will have to be endorsed by both Council and Parliament and published in the EU Official Journal.
Background
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 420 million hectares of forest — an area larger than the EU — were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. EU consumption represents around 10% of global deforestation. Palm oil and soya account for more than two-thirds of this.
The deforestation regulation, adopted by Parliament on 19 April 2023, aims to fight climate change and biodiversity loss by preventing the deforestation related to EU consumption of products from cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm-oil, soya, wood, rubber, charcoal and printed paper. Already in force since 29 June 2023, its provisions were to be applied by companies from 30 December 2024.
Further information
- Adopted text (14.11.2024)
- Procedure file
- Proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 as regards provisions relating to the date of application
- EP research: Towards deforestation-free commodities and products in the EU (07.09.2022)
- Commission Fact Sheet on deforestation
EPP Group: Do not only postpone, but make the Deforestation Law fit for purpose
Brussels, 7 November 2024
The EPP Group aims to stop illegal global deforestation, but without overburdening European farmers, companies, or international trading partners with excessive red tape.
“The current Deforestation Law is a bureaucratic monster. If implemented, it risks hampering European farmers and businesses. That’s why the EPP Group has called for a delay, but postponement alone is not enough,” stresses Christine Schneider MEP, the EPP Group’s lead negotiator on the deforestation legislation, ahead of next week’s plenary vote on the planned postponement of the law.
To reduce administrative burdens, the EPP Group proposes changes to the current legislation, making only the company placing the product on the market responsible for proving it is deforestation-free. “Don’t ask companies to prove it again and again and again throughout the whole supply chain,” Schneider emphasises.
Additionally, the EPP insists that the law should not be implemented until data platforms tracking product origins are fully operational and a risk classification system is in place. The EPP Group also wants to exempt countries without deforestation. Instead of putting pressure on countries to comply with costly and burdensome requirements, the EPP Group wants to encourage them to proactively protect their forests.
The EPP Group is convinced that an updated law can be agreed upon before Christmas, if the political groups work together. “We urge everyone who is serious about cutting red tape to take this seriously. With the support of all Members of the European Parliament, we now have the chance to turn words into action; we can truly cut bureaucracy – something the European Parliament has long promised. Let’s get to work,” Schneider concludes.
Note
The EPP Group is the largest political group in the European Parliament with 188 Members from all EU Member States
Source – EPP Group
Statement der EU-Abgeordneten Christine Schneider (CDU) zur Verschiebung des Inkrafttretens der Entwaldungs-Verordnung
Das Europäische Parlament hat die Verschiebung der Entwaldungsverordnung bestätigt und zudem Änderungsanträge der EVP-Fraktion angenommen. Dazu erklärt Christine Schneider (CDU), parlamentarische Geschäftsführerin der CDU/CSU-Gruppe und Berichterstatterin der EVP-Fraktion:
“Wir wollen die illegale weltweite Abholzung stoppen, ohne jedoch die europäischen Unternehmen, die Forst- und Landwirtschaft mit Nachweispflichten zu überfordern. Unser Ziel ist ein Gesetz, das in der Praxis funktioniert und alle motiviert, an einem Strang zu ziehen, um die Wälder wirklich zu schützen. Teil der Entwaldungsverordnung ist von vielen Seiten als unpraktikabel kritisiert worden. Bürokratieabbau war eines der wichtigsten Themen für alle Parteien im letzten Europawahlkampf. Heute war die Chance zu zeigen, wie ernst wir und unsere Mitbewerber dies meinen. Denn ein Aufschub allein reicht nicht aus, ändert nichts an dem Gesetz. Aus diesem Grund haben wir heute als EVP-Fraktion weitere Änderungsanträge zu der Entwaldungs-Verordnung eingebracht.
Ich bin froh, dass eine Mehrheit des Europäischen Parlaments uns heute gefolgt ist. Wir werden nun mit der Ratspräsidentschaft schleunigst interinstitutionelle Verhandlungen beginnen, damit die Verschiebung und mögliche Änderungen noch rechtzeitig vor Jahresende verabschiedet werden können.
Vor dieser Abstimmung herrschte erkennbar viel Unruhe. Ich bin dankbar, dass die Kommission mir vorab per Brief von Vizepräsident Maroš Šefčovič klargestellt hatte, dass die Kommission fest zur einjährigen Verschiebung der Entwaldungsverordnung steht und zudem die Belastungen für Unternehmen durch den Abbau bürokratischer Hürden reduzieren will. Die Kommission arbeitet schon daran, überflüssige Anforderungen zu streichen, Doppelregelungen mit anderen Gesetzen zu beseitigen und Berichtspflichten auf das Nötigste zu reduzieren, ohne die Ziele des Gesetzes zu gefährden. Also genau das, was wir mit einigen unseren Forderungen erreichen wollten. Vor Jahresende soll eine aktualisierte Fassung der Leitlinien und der „Häufig gestellten Fragen“ vorliegen, um allen Akteuren die nötige Klarheit zu geben. Aus diesem Grund haben wir vor der heutigen Abstimmung auch einige unserer Änderungsanträge zurückgezogen.
Bitte lassen sie mich auch noch einmal klarstellen: Wir wollen dieses Gesetz verbessern und praktikabel machen, nicht abschaffen.”
S&Ds denounce EPP and far-right attack on landmark EU Deforestation Law and urge European Commission to withdraw proposal
Brussels, 14 November 2024
In coalition with the far right, the European People’s Party (EPP) has weakened key provisions of the EU’s deforestation regulation. Following today’s European Parliament vote, which permitted a dilution of the regulation, the Socialists and Democrats Group voices deep disappointment at what it considers a significant setback to the EU’s environmental commitments. This vote is yet another instance of the EPP torpedoing the Green Deal and undermining EU efforts on climate and biodiversity during an urgent environmental crisis. The S&Ds therefore call on the European Commission to withdraw its proposal.
Delara Burkhardt, S&D negotiator on the EU Deforestation Law, said:
“This deforestation regulation is vital to ensuring that products entering the EU market are free from deforestation, reinforcing the EU’s leadership in global environmental standards. While the S&D Group was open to a one-year delay to provide businesses time to adjust, we categorically opposed the EPP’s weakening amendments, which were pushed through with the support of far-right factions.
“By allowing these amendments to pass, the EPP has eroded the EU’s credibility in combating deforestation, biodiversity loss and climate change. They have created uncertainty for operators and traders striving to comply with the regulation. They have also created an unfair system of double standards between the EU member states, where different member states will be classified in different risk categories.
“In response, the S&D Group is calling on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to withdraw the proposal entirely. With the core provisions of the regulation now compromised, a delay risks prolonged inaction and sends a troubling message about the EU’s environmental priorities.”
Source – S&D Group
S&Ds to EPP: Don’t undermine the EU Deforestation Law!
Brussels, 13 November 2024
On Thursday, the European Parliament will take a decisive stance on the European Commission’s proposal to delay the implementation of the EU’s pioneering deforestation regulation, aimed at ensuring that products imported into the EU are deforestation-free.
While the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament acknowledge the need for a one-year delay to give businesses time to comply with the legislation, they strongly oppose the European People’s Party (EPP)’s proposed amendments that seek to dilute the provisions of the regulation. This landmark law is crucial in the fight against biodiversity loss and climate change, and its ambition and substance must remain unwavering.
These EPP amendments, which stand a chance of success only with far-right group backing, threaten to weaken one of the EU’s flagship environmental measures. Should these changes pass, the S&D Group calls on European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to withdraw the proposal for postponement entirely. Such amendments would not only create legal uncertainty for companies but also represent an unacceptable compromise on the Green Deal – a key commitment von der Leyen has pledged to uphold.
Christophe Clergeau, S&D co-vice-president on the Green Deal, commented:
“The EU deforestation law represents a pivotal commitment to safeguarding our planet’s biodiversity and taking a firm stand against climate change. Delaying the law to accommodate business preparations is one thing, but gutting it is another. If the EPP and far-right amendments proceed, they will be attacking the Green Deal’s very foundation and jeopardising Europe’s environmental leadership. The EPP should withdraw its amendments immediately. Should any of these amendments be adopted, the S&D Group will vote against the final text. We must hold firm to our principles for our planet, our people and our future.”
Delara Burkhardt, S&D MEP and negotiator on the EU deforestation law, said:
“The European Commission offered a sensible compromise, proposing a one-year delay in the regulation’s implementation to give businesses extra time to adapt. Supporting this balanced compromise in the political centre would be responsible policy-making. But instead, the EPP is more interested in political arm wrestling.
“The Conservatives’ approach is not only politically reckless but economically damaging. Businesses need certainty; instead, they now face increased legal ambiguity and planning insecurity. If the European Parliament, headed by this EPP-led right-wing majority, approves these amendments, it will trigger new negotiations with EU member states, delaying the process by several weeks. As a result, updates to the Deforestation Regulation could be pushed into the new year, while the current regulation may take effect before any revised rules are in place, extending uncertainty indefinitely. This means maximum chaos for our companies, farmers and foresters.
“If EPP amendments pass, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen should withdraw the proposal for postponement entirely. Such amendments would not only create legal uncertainty for companies but also represent an unacceptable compromise on the Green Deal.”
Background
On 2 October, the European Commission proposed to postpone the enforcement of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year. Under the original schedule, larger companies would have been required to prove by 30 December that wood, coffee, cocoa, palm oil, soy, cattle, rubber, or products derived from these materials were produced without harming forests. For smaller companies, the regulation was set to apply from mid-2025.
According to the Commission’s new proposal, the rules would apply to large companies starting December 30, 2025, and to smaller businesses beginning June 30, 2026. A delay in the implementation timeline became necessary after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen only recently issued implementation guidelines for companies still facing questions regarding the practical application of the regulation. The pro-European groups of the political centre – S&D, Renew and Greens – have made clear that they won’t support any weakening of the content of the EUDR.
EU member states’ ambassadors provisionally approved the Commission’s proposal on 16 October. Should the European Parliament accept the Commission’s proposal without further amendments, Parliament and Council could reach an agreement within days via written procedure, allowing the amendment to take effect in time before 30 December, thus providing clarity for affected companies before the original regulation comes into force. However, if the European Parliament adopts the EPP’s amendments, negotiations between the European Parliament, EU member states, and the European Commission (the ‘trilogue’) will be required. Any eventual agreement would need confirmation in both a European Parliament and a Council session, after which the amendment would enter into force 20 days later. This would extend the process by several more weeks, meaning any changes would only take effect in the new year, while the current version of the EU Deforestation Regulation would apply from 30 December.
Source – S&D Group
Greens/EFA call on von der Leyen to withdraw weakened Deforestation Regulation: EPP creates chaos
Today, amid a dramatic breakdown of the electronic voting system which brings the vote into question, Members of the European Parliament voted on the Commission proposal to delay the Deforestation regulation. It’s deeply concerning that the EPP amendments were adopted as they eviscerate the EU’s deforestation regulation. To avoid a complete gutting of the law, as well as further uncertainty for stakeholders,the Greens/EFA calls on Ursula von der Leyen to withdraw her proposal.
Marie Toussaint MEP, Greens/EFA shadow rapporteur on the deforestation regulation, comments:
“The worst amendments adding a zero risk category have been adopted, along with the Commission proposal to delay implementation by one year. Today’s vote in favour of the EPP’s disruption is a step backward for Europe’s commitments to protect global forests. The European Right has demonstrated its willingness to ally itself with the far-right parties to create majorities against nature.
“Adding exemptions and deleting due diligence requirements for products from so-called ‘no-risk’ countries, opens up loopholes that invite further destruction of our precious forests and an erosion of the Green Deal itself. It’s shameful that the EPP has acted this recklessly and teamed up with the far right in order to push these amendments through.
“We call on the Council and Commission to stand strong against any attempts to erode the critical protections that the regulation initially set out. We condemn the opening up of EU law already in force, that all parties, including EPP, recently agreed upon. Ursula Von Der Leyen needs to clarify her position: is she holding the course for the Green Deal with the pro-EU middle ground, or courting fascists? While fraught negotiations on the composition of the European Commission are ongoing, Von Der Leyen’s ability to keep any of her promises is being put to the test – we call on her to withdraw her proposal.”
Virginijus Sinkevičius, Greens/EFA MEP and former Commissioner responsible for the file, comments:
“The world’s forests are on the brink of collapse, climate scientists are sounding the alarm and the EPP inside and outside the parliament is taking an axe to the most important law for the protection of forests. The deforestation law was designed to address the severe environmental, social, and human rights impacts of EU-driven deforestation. The adoption of EPP amendments represent a major setback. They put at risk both our global leadership and the rights of indigenous communities who are most affected by deforestation. The attempt to exempt states from the rules through very weak criteria will backfire and make the regulation incompatible with the WTO.”
The approved amendments propose new loopholes that create a new category on the country benchmarking system : a so-called “no risk” category. It would exclude products from many countries from being subject to due diligence requirements.
Source – Greens/EFA
Left demands revote as right-wing alliance sabotages EU deforestation law
With backing from far-right extremists in the European Parliament, the party group EPP has launched an audacious attempt to sabotage the EU’s deforestation regulation. The right-wing and far-right factions are joining forces to favour corporate interests over the survival of our planet. In response to a voting session flawed by numerous technical issues, the Left Party is demanding a revote.
“The mainstream right wing parties have aligned themselves with Europe’s far right parties such Germany’s far-right AfD and Hungary’s ruling party Fidesz, to dismantle legislation aimed at protecting the Amazon, the world’s most important carbon sink. This shows just how far the right wing is willing to go to appease the forestry lobby. It’s a scandal of epic proportions,” declares Left MEP Jonas Sjöstedt.
The deforestation regulation, adopted in the previous term, was designed to curb the destruction of rainforests. Under this directive, products like coffee and cocoa can only be imported to the EU if they are proven to be free from links to deforested land after 2021.
Originally, the directive was set to take effect on December 30, 2024. However, the Commission recently decided to postpone its implementation by a year. During today’s session, as the European Parliament was set to approve this delay, the EPP seized the moment to also water down the law with the support of far-right groups like ESN and the Patriots. By a razor-thin margin of just three votes, the EPP’s amendments passed, allowing fewer companies to be subject to the rules and granting exemptions to certain countries.
“Rainforests are absolutely essential to maintaining the global carbon balance. The Amazon alone absorbs over a billion tons of carbon dioxide each year. The cooperation of the right wing with the far-right, letting deforestation continue is a catastrophic blow to the climate,” Sjöstedt exclaims.
Adding to the chaos, several voting machines malfunctioned during the session, and some key amendments were passed by a mere three-vote difference. Given these irregularities, the Left group is now calling for the entire vote to be redone.
Source – The Left/GUE-NGL