European Parliament finally agrees to postpone deforestation law

The European Parliament on Tuesday finally agreed to a one-year delay to a deforestation law that was due to come into force on December 30, 2024 and would have banned imports of soya, beef and other products linked to deforestation into the EU. The agreement by lawmakers will allow EU countries to also approve the delay, which they will do within a week.

 

The delay in passing the deforestation law is a blow to the EU's green agenda, which is opposed by some industries from carmakers to airlines, who see the EU's climate change measures as too burdensome. But it will ease the situation for countries that have opposed the new EU policy. Brazil and Indonesia see the law as protectionist and say it will push millions of small farmers out of the EU market.

 

Under the new law, EU importers of soy, beef, palm oil, coffee and other products will be required to provide evidence that their supply chains do not contribute to deforestation. EU farmers will be banned from exporting produce grown in areas where forests have been cleared or degraded.

 

MEPs tried to weaken certain provisions of the law, but such proposals were rejected during negotiations with EU countries, so it was decided to simply postpone the adoption of the law for 12 months.

 

According to the human rights organization Global Witness, in 2021-2022, deforestation related to imports of goods into the EU led to emissions of at least 120 million metric tons of CO2.