Parliament to adopt new law to stop EU sale of products causing deforestation
MEPs will debate on Monday and vote on Wednesday on a new law obliging companies to ensure products sold in the EU do not come from deforested land anywhere in the world.
The new regulation, already agreed with EU member states, helps fight climate change and biodiversity loss by preventing deforestation related to EU consumption of products from cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm-oil, soya, wood, rubber, charcoal and printed paper. Before such products can be placed on the EU market, companies must verify and issue a so-called “due diligence” statement that the products have not led to deforestation and forest degradation anywhere in the world.
Background
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 420 million hectares of forest — an area larger than the EU — were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. EU consumption represents around 10% of global deforestation. Palm oil and soya account for more than two-thirds of this.
In October 2020, Parliament made use of its prerogative in the Treaty to ask the Commission to come forward with legislation to halt EU-driven global deforestation.
Procedure codes: 2021/0366(COD)
Debate: Monday 17 April 2023
Vote: Wednesday 19 April 2023
Procedure: Ordinary legislative procedure, first reading agreement