9 octubre 2024
Delay to the EU Deforestation Regulation
Last week, the European Commission announced that it will be seeking a twelve-month delay to the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation.
Proforest has been working with a wide range of partners on EUDR readiness. While we have first-hand experience with the various practical issues and structural barriers that complicate effective implementation, we also believe that all the work that governments and companies have done towards EUDR compliance is - and remains – critical.
That said, the additional time offers a window to accelerate action that drives meaningful improvements for rural livelihoods and forest protection on the ground. We will be engaging and convening our partners on how to achieve the above and find effective ways to navigate and find EUDR solutions.
At this stage, we recommend all companies that have obligations under the EUDR to:
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Maintain ongoing efforts to implement and enhance their EUDR compliance strategies, policies and procedures.
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Use the next twelve months to really focus on where we have already identified potential unintended consequences of EUDR, including supporting small-scale producers in high-risk areas and in support of producer country led processes to ensure smallholder inclusion.
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Continue to work on the implementation of global Deforestation and Conversion Free commitments to effectively address deforestation and conversion across their entire supply base (irrespective of specific requirements under the EUDR). This includes collective action within and beyond individual company supply chains.
This extension period underscores the importance of strengthening many aspects of the regulation and it is essential that we, as a sector, continue to work to maintain momentum given the urgent need for action.