The European Commission (EC) has delayed a key piece of environmental legislation following criticism from multiple stakeholders.
The EU Deforestation Initiative, designed to tackle trade in goods that are damaging ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest, was meant to come into effect at the end of 2024.
Under the legislation, companies have to confirm that any product exported to or sold in the EU is ‘deforestation free’.
Commonly cited examples of goods that are covered by the legislation include palm oil, cattle, soy, coffee, cocoa, timber, rubber and furniture.
Environmental and indigenous rights
European authorities saw the law as being key to protecting the environment and the rights of indigenous peoples in the supply chain.
However, the initiative had received extensive criticism from trade partners in South America, North America and Asia. Several observers had also raised concerns about the legality of the measures and protectionism, with predictions that complaints could be lodged with the WTO.
Additionally, opposition from within several European capitals has been reported, particularly now that many are led by climate-sceptic governments, following elections held since the law was approved by the European Parliament in 2023.
Reaction
The decision to postpone has been met with praise from some, while environmentalists have been critical.
John Clarke, a former senior EU diplomat, said that the move “made sense” as “countries and small producers need more time”, while president of the centre-right European People’s Party Manfred Weber welcomed the decision.
MEPs from the Socialist & Democrats, Green and Renew parties condemned the decision.
Virginijus Sinkevičius, a Lithuanian MEP, said the move was a “a step backward in the fight against climate change” and would undermine the EU’s credibility on environmental issues.
Sinkevičius, a deputy chair of the Greens, was the environment commissioner until mid-July and helped draft the original law.
Global Witness, an environmental watchdog, said that the proposed delay could undermine efforts to fight climate change, resulting in the release of carbon emissions equivalent to 188 million extra long-haul flights and areas of rainforest 14 times the size of Paris disappearing.
New deadline
The EC’s proposal, which still needs to be approved by the European Parliament and Council, would push the deadline back to 30 December 2025 for large companies and 30 June 2026 for smaller ones.
Previously, large companies had until the end of 2024 to implement the new rules.
In the announcement, the EC said:
“Given the EUDR's novel character, the swift calendar and the variety of international stakeholders involved, the Commission considers that a 12-month additional time to phase in the system is a balanced solution to support operators around the world in securing a smooth implementation from the start.”
The EC acknowledged that they had received several complaints at the recent UN General Assembly meeting in New York in late September, and that preparations in Europe were “uneven”.
“The extension proposal in no way puts into question the objectives or the substance of the law, as agreed by the EU co-legislators,” the announcement said.