Germany is campaigning to delay the start of anti-deforestation legislation across the European Union. The information was released in a report published by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) last week.
The regulation, known as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), will require proof of origin and traceability of products exported to the European bloc starting in January 2025. Additionally, it bans the export of six products (cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil, timber, beef), along with derivatives (such as leather), produced in forest areas that were deforested after December 2020.
The report states that the implementation of the European regulation is “stalled” in Brussels, the headquarters of the European Commission. The German ministry notes that it “continues to call for the postponement of the EUDR’s enforcement to ensure efficient, practical, and low-bureaucracy implementation.”
BMEL emphasizes that in April of this year, several countries had already appealed to the European Commission to provide the necessary foundation for efficient regulation enforcement.
“The BMEL is following with great concern the pending work on the EUDR implementation in Brussels – this particularly includes the risk classification of countries,” the report says.
In July, Germany’s Agriculture Minister, Cem Özdemir, asked the European Commission at the Agriculture Council to delay the start of the anti-deforestation law, but the decision is still pending.
The ministry advocates for an extension of the transition phase. The report also highlights that delays have now reached a level that makes it significantly more difficult for businesses to adequately prepare for the scheduled application of the EUDR, given the time constraints.