Companies importing into the EU will have to prove the product is not linked to deforestation and must demonstrate accurate geographical information about the country of origin of the product.
On December 6, the European Commission (EC) said that the European Union (EU) had reached an agreement to ban the import of a number of products considered to be the main drivers of deforestation, including coffee and cocoa. and soybeans.
Under the new bill, products on the banned list include palm oil, cattle, soybeans, coffee, cocoa, timber and rubber – identified as drivers of deforestation if they are exported. from forest lands destroyed after December 2020.
Importing companies will have to prove the product is not linked to deforestation and must demonstrate accurate geographic information about the product’s country of origin.
The EC welcomes the decision reached by EU Member States and the EU Parliament, and emphasizes that this new bill will ensure that a wide range of key products are placed on the EU market without contributing to illegal activities. forests and forest degradation in the EU as well as elsewhere in the world.
Once the new regulations come into effect, all relevant companies will have to undergo rigorous due diligence if they are to place these items on the EU market.
This bill was proposed by the EC in November 2021. The EU will now have to formally ratify the document for it to take effect and commercial companies will have 18 months to implement the regulations.
