The EU Commission has proposed a draft amendment to postpone the implementation of a regulation, aiming to limit deforestation linked to commodities, by a year.
Oct 14, 2024
The EU Commission has proposed a postponement of the implementation of the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The pulp and paper sector welcomes the announcement which offers an opportunity to develop a stronger framework to fight deforestation in the pulp and paper sector. The European Parliament and EU Council will still need to confirm the delayed phase-in.
The EU Commission has proposed a draft amendment to postpone the implementation of a regulation aiming to limit deforestation linked to commodities, by a year. This will not only limit imports but also goods produced and exported from the European Union.
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Long-expected guidelines to the implementation of the EUDR have now been published in conjunction with the announcement, but the information system build by the EU to enforce the tracking of materials and commodities remains to be completed. A system assessing the risk level by country is also still pending.
Based on these delays, the EU pulp and paper sector represented by Cepi has been vocal about the need for an adequate transition period for the EUDR.
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Jori Ringman, Director General, Cepi, said, ‘‘We certainly do not ignore the environmental crisis and the climate emergency, which the EUDR is designed to help solve. Nor is our industry a source of deforestation. From a business angle, deforestation is major reputational risk for any industry; our industry also depends on healthy forests for our own future. “We fully support the objectives of the EUDR, and with this new timeline, we believe that the EU and its trade partners now have a much better chance at finally eradicating deforestation.’’
