EU Commission plans for EUDR major law delay met with justified concerns
Deforestation has increased through a number of sectors including with palm oil and cocoa. Pic: Shutterstock
This week, there really has only been one story in town as far as the global confectionery sector is concerned, and that is the shock proposals from the EU Commission to postpone introducing major EUDR environmental laws.
The landmark legal framework is for the first time set to introduce mandatory conditions upon (at first) large scale businesses in Europe, ensuring that they are deforestation free in their supply chains.
It also makes provision for greater human rights protections of key farming communities in the commodities at stake, including cocoa, palm oil, soy and materials such as rubber, which have been broadly welcomed by industry, communities and civil society.
However, since the legislation was agreed 18 months ago, it has become patently obvious that cracks have appeared in support for the timetable of its planned introduction in December 2024. The sheer scale of the project, and precisely how it will be implemented and monitored via advanced geomapping systems has drawn concerns and criticisms from a number of quarters, including cocoa farmers unions in Ivory Coast, Ghana, and industry bodies as far and wide as Brazil, Malaysia and Indonesia – all concerned at whether the scheme will make farmers pay for monitoring.
Frankly, from speaking to many people close to the initiative, the answers on these finer, yet crucial points have largely not come to fruition – until earlier this week, it was suddenly announced that a delay of a year to the venture would be put forward in light of stakeholders concerns.
As it transpires, a total of no less than 20 EU nations have expressed fears over the timetable of this grand eco-project, which is set to be introduced alongside corporate due diligence laws.
While there have been many admirers of its ambitions, unless it truly benefits farmers in a tangible manner, then its well-meaning principles will be in vain. In the eyes of many observers, including environmental groups such as Mighty Earth – delaying the legislation by the year after already being agreed 18 months ago amounts to little more than environmental vandalism.
On the flip side, other institutions and organisations have expressed relief, including cocoa groups in Indonesia, which had expressed a high degree of concern over just how the venture would work in reality.
Clearly, there has been much to say on either side of the divide, but there is no getting away from the fact there will be a negative impact of this decision for all those who have worked hard to be ready for its introduction at the (expected original) date of this December, including many farmers, who will be left wondering whether this will make any real difference at all.
Neill Barston, editor, Confectionery Production
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