Several organisations representing farmers and forestry sector stakeholders in the EU have issued a joint statement calling for a simplification package for the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

The joint statement – which includes among its signatories Copa Cogeca, the representative group for farm organisations and agricultural co-operatives – says that while the delay to the implementation of the EUDR to December is welcome, there needs to be shift in focus “towards meaningful simplification”.

“This call is linked to our concerns about the regulation’s practical applicability; its lack of proportionality; the substantial administrative burden it imposes; and the legal uncertainties and diversion of commodity flows that are likely to be generated,” the statement said.

“These issues are also increasingly recognised by members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and agriculture ministers, who have publicly called for substantial simplification and a proportionate approach to the EUDR’s implementation.

“In view of these concerns about the EUDR’s proportionality, we stress the urgent need for a more targeted, risk-based, and practicable implementation of the EUDR, going beyond what is provided by the current regulation,” the statement said.

The aim of the EU Deforestation Regulation, according to the European Commission, is to ensure that goods in the EU market do not contribute to deforestation and forest degradation, both within the EU and globally.

The new regulation means that companies will only be allowed to sell products in the EU if the supplier provides a “due diligence” statement confirming that the product does not come from deforested land or has led to forest degradation.

The regulation was set to come into effect at the end of 2024. However, this was deferred until the end of 2025, and mid-2026 for smaller businesses.

The groups that have issued the joint statement claim that, despite the European Commission’s efforts to clarify the regulation, this has not brought significant improvements to address their “core concerns”.

They say that the clarifications provided so far are “subject to diverging interpretations in different member states”, and that therefore, simplification should be made directly through amendments to the regulation.

“We acknowledge the commission’s stated commitment to simplification in its 2025 Work Programme, and in particular the potential of the upcoming ‘omnibus’ legislative packages,” the joint statement said.

“These initiatives present an opportunity that must not be missed. We therefore urge the commission to include a comprehensive review of the EUDR as part of these simplification proposals.

“We remain fully committed to engaging in constructive dialogue and stand ready to contribute to a regulatory process the enables the EUDR to achieve its environmental goals without jeopardising the viability of responsible operators across the supply chain,” the statement added.

Source: agriland.ie