EU associations demand clarifications and workable solutions for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)

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Joint cross-commodity call to the EU Commission and Member States to provide urgent clarifications and workable solutions for the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The letter issued by major EU organizations representing market suppliers, operators and traders.

(Brussels, 28 March 2024)

Serious disruptions in all commodity supply chains may follow soon on the supply of essential goods for the European market, such as food, feed, biofuels and more.

The EU market operators and traders are working hard to prepare their supply chains and adapt their systems and due diligence processes for compliance with the EUDR, as significant adjustments are needed from suppliers, operators and traders to support a successful implementation of the EUDR. They express serious concerns regarding the pace of preparation of EUDR-related legislative acts, the mandatory systems (i.e. Information System), and the guidance and clarifications required for implementation by operators and traders and enforcement by competent authorities.

They call for the action to resolve legal uncertainty/lack of clarity of essential provisions of the EUDR.  The EU Commission is urged to actively include all stakeholders along value chains in elaborating the guidance to make the implementation practically feasible. The planning of the development of the system should allow the necessary time for companies to ensure connection with their own data management systems and organize appropriate training of relevant staff. Finally, the EU Commission is strongly urged to organize a second round of testing and to involve companies under the EUDR scope in the design of the Information System.

The EU market operators and traders in their joint letter offer a list of issues on which clarification is urgently needed with a view to lifting uncertainties and allowing necessary investments and implementation across the supply chains.

Unless timely and adequate responses are provided, they cannot exclude serious disruptions in all commodity supply chains, with potential unintended negative effects on the supply of essential goods for the European market, such as food, feed, chemicals, packaging, construction products, bioenergy, printed media and more.

Tags: EU, legislation, food, restrictions