In a press conference on 17 November, the Commission presented its proposal for a Deforestation and Forest Degradation Regulation. The main aim of the proposal is to address the biggest driver of global deforestation which is unsustainable agricultural expansion. To this aim, the Commission proposal focuses on agricultural products associated with deforestation and forest degradation. However, wood products are also being considered as relevant commodities and the new proposal intends to replace and expand the EU Timber Regulation and its obligations towards forest owners.
The main implementing tool envisaged by the Commission is a country benchmarking system as a basis for a tiered mandatory due diligence system. Essentially, the proposal foresees a prohibition of market access to products that contributed to deforestation or forest degradation. Forest owners and other operators will be responsible for implementing this new due diligence system.
In a meeting of the Environment Committee on 18 December, Members of the European Parliament have already debated the proposal with Commissioner for Environment, Virginijus Sinkevičius. However, before the Regulation can enter into force, the European Parliament and the Council must reach an agreement through the ordinary legislative procedure.
Further information on the Regulation can be found on the EC website here.
In COP26, deforestation was high on the agenda as on 2 November, leaders of more than 130 countries signed a Declaration on Forests and Land Use, emphasising the critical roles of forests of all types for meeting international climate targets. You can read more about it here.
