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Our News
EPP swings axe to world's forests, turning EU Deforestation Law into “dead tree”
Following the proposal from the European Commission to delay the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), the European People’s Party (EPP) has proposed further amendments that will open the way for continued forest destruction in and outside the EU.
With these proposals, EPP chose to take the path of political posturing over environmental responsibility. Under the guise of “business support,” the proposals would introduce a two year delay of the application of the legislation, exclude traders from nearly all obligations, and introduce a new category of “no risk” countries. These measures would turn the EUDR from the EU’s only strong, effective instrument to prevent global deforestation and climate change into a hollow shell, effectively allowing a continuation of the destruction of the world’s forest.
“This is completely unacceptable. Citizens have called for a new and strong law against deforestation, and this was democratically adopted, with the support of the EPP. With this move, the EPP betrays trust in EU policy, and starts to deregulate key environmental legislation - a massive embarrassment just ahead of the COP!" said Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove, Manger, Forests, at the WWF European Policy Office. “The proposed changes make a mockery of the EUDR’s objectives, removing critical elements such as traceability for many products, and allowing products to be placed on the EU market without proper checks. Instead of curbing the EU’s impact on global deforestation, such a law would be hollow like a tree without its core. This move also betrays all those companies that have already invested to prepare for the EUDR and are now faced with far reaching changes and loss of their investments.”
This proposal directly contradicts the urgent need to protect forests, which play an essential role in mitigating climate change and preventing extreme weather events like floods and droughts. The proposed changes ignore the clear role forests have in stabilising ecosystems, while diminishing the EU’s global leadership on environmental issues.
Despite the fact that 1.2 million citizens called for a strong law against deforestation in 2020, and the EPP itself voted overwhelmingly to adopt the EUDR in 2023, today’s actions show that the EPP is neither listening to the public nor honoring its commitments. The party is also disregarding its responsibility to the many businesses that have already invested in EUDR compliance and are publicly supporting its full implementation (1), only to see their efforts undermined by political reversal.
“We call on the European Parliament to vote down these amendments to show that they care for forests, climate change and biodiversity and that they uphold democratically decided laws. The EUDR is one of the most significant achievements of the European Green Deal, and its implementation must move forward without delay, amendment, or loophole. This is the only responsible choice for the environment, for citizens, and for businesses dedicated to sustainability,” concluded Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove.
A vote on the proposed amendments will take place at the European Parliament’s plenary session on 14 November.
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Notes to the editor
(1) Numerous businesses have issued statements in support of the EUDR, warning against weakening it. This includes:
- Statement Mars
- Statement Danone
- Statement Tony Chocolonely
- Statement Michelin
- Statement Cocoa coalition with NGOs (Nestlé, Ferrero,Mondelez, Mars, Unilever etc.)
- Statement Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
- Statement Alliance pour la préservation des forêts, France (French companies including Nestlé, Ferrero, coffee, confectionary etc)
- Statement Carrefour
- Letter of Rubber Producers, Processors and Traders (PPT) of the Global Platform for Sustainable NaturalRubber (GPSNR)
- Eva Zabey, CEO, Business for Nature
- Laura Jungmann, Albert Heijn
- Statement Lidl
© WWF / Simon de Trey White
A key achievement of the European Green Deal, the EUDR aims to tackle deforestation worldwide.