225 civil society organizations from 42 countries are calling on the European Parliament and the governments of the EU Member States to reject the European Commission’s proposal to delay the application of the regulation on imported deforestation by a year.

This flagship legislation of the European Green Deal prohibits companies from placing on the European market products (timber, soy, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, beef and rubber, together with products derived from them) whose production has contributed to deforestation and forest degradation. The regulation also covers the export of such products from the EU. This legislation promoting deforestation-free products and supply chains is based on due diligence obligations imposed on economic actors.

The European Union urgently needed to legislate on this issue. Between 1990 and 2008, the EU imported and consumed 36% of internationally traded crops and livestock products associated with deforestation. The regulation therefore has the potential to significantly reduce forest loss and carbon emissions caused by the European Union.

But, on October 2, the Commission proposed delaying the application of the regulation by a year, originally planned for the end of December, invoking the need to help companies and countries prepare better.

As the signatory NGOs point out, a delay in applying the regulation would :

• put the European Green Deal into question
• undermine the EU’s credibility as a global leader in the fight against climate change, biodiversity loss and human rights violations.
• reward those companies who do not want to change their business behaviours
• penalize those who have already spent resources to comply with the EUDR.

This is why the Member States and the European Parliament must imperatively vote against delaying this regulation.