Brazil urges EU to delay new anti-deforestation import ban
- In Reports
- 10:33 PM, Sep 12, 2024
- Myind Staff
On Thursday, Brazil called on the European Union to halt the enforcement of its new regulations that ban the import of products linked to deforestation. The Brazilian government criticised the EU’s measures as “punitive,” signalling concerns over their potential impact on trade relations and the broader economy.
The EU legislation, scheduled to come into effect at the end of December, will prohibit the import of a wide range of goods, including coffee, cocoa, soy, timber, palm oil, cattle, printing paper, and rubber. These products will be banned if they are linked to land that has been deforested after December 2020.
The Brazilian government expressed that the legislation is “a matter of serious concern,” noting that Brazil is one of the EU’s primary suppliers of many of the products affected by the new regulations.
“To avoid any negative impact on our trade relations, we request that the EU refrain from implementing at the end of 2024 and urgently reassess its approach to the matter,” Brasilia said in a letter to the European Commission shared with AFP Thursday.
The letter was signed by the ministers of foreign affairs and agriculture.
The legislation has also raised concerns among the United States and various Latin American, Asian, and African nations regarding the administrative burden it imposes on farmers and the forestry sector. Additionally, within the EU, agriculture ministers from approximately 20 member states, led by Austria and Finland, expressed apprehension in April about the potential bureaucratic obstacles the law could create for the agricultural sector. They warned that it might deter investment and distort competition.
The largest faction in the European Parliament has called for a postponement of the new legislation.
Brazil said it considered the legislation “a unilateral and punitive instrument that disregards national laws on combating deforestation”, adding it increased production and export costs, especially for smallholders.
The commission confirmed it received the letter.
“We will reply in due course,” a spokesman said.
Previously, the EU had stated that it was “working intensively on the implementation of this new regulation,” with no plans for postponement at this time. The EU is the second-largest market for the products affected by the legislation, followed by China.
Companies importing the affected goods into the 27-nation EU will be required to monitor their supply chains to ensure that the products do not come from deforested areas, utilising geolocation and satellite data for verification. Additionally, for exporting countries deemed high-risk, at least nine percent of the products shipped to the EU will be subject to inspections.
In March, the EU’s environment commissioner visited Paraguay, Bolivia, and Ecuador to respond to criticisms of the new law. Additionally, the EU has provided technical and financial assistance to help importers upgrade their tracing systems to meet the required standards.
According to the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) data, EU imports account for 16 percent of global deforestation.
Image source: CBS19News
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