The European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and Competitive Circular Economy, Jessika Roswall, said on Friday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that she hoped the entry into force of the EU Regulation on Deforestation, adopted in 2023 to ensure that products sold in the European Union do not come from deforested land, would be postponed for a year "very soon".
Roswall commented at this informative meeting organised by New Economy Forum in the EU capital that the European Commission has opted for this postponement for "many reasons", after the computer system was not ready at the end of last summer.
This regulation was approved in 2023 and its provisions should apply from 30 December 2024. However, EU institutions have been delaying this deadline to help companies and countries better implement the rules.
The products covered by the legislation are cocoa, coffee, palm oil, beef, soy, rubber and timber. Derivatives containing, fed with or processed from the above commodities, such as chocolate, furniture, printed paper and selected palm oil derivatives (used, for example, as components in personal care items) are also included.
A "VERY BALANCED" PROPOSAL
On Wednesday, the European Parliament approved giving companies an additional year to comply with new EU rules aimed at preventing deforestation. Large companies and traders would have to comply with the regulation's obligations from 30 December 2026, and micro and small enterprises from 30 June 2027.
The European Parliament and the Council of the EU will negotiate the final form of the law, which must be formally approved by both EU institutions before the end of 2025.
Last October, the European Commission presented a "very balanced" proposal, according to Roswall, because it identified a "need for simplification" for farmers and foresters.
"The Council adopted a new position last week and the European Parliament voted on Wednesday this week. I am glad about this because time is now of the essence. It is urgent. So I hope that we can reach an agreement very soon because what I don't like is uncertainty", she said.
