According to a document examined by Reuters on Monday, a coalition of EU nations, led by Austria, is urging immediate revisions to the bloc’s forthcoming anti-deforestation legislation, expressing concerns about its potential adverse effects on European farmers.
The EU law seeks to eliminate deforestation from supply chains associated with beef, soy, and other agricultural products sold in Europe, thereby ensuring that European consumers do not inadvertently support the destruction of forests worldwide, from the Amazon to Southeast Asia.
“The agreed overall objective of tackling deforestation in third countries must not be to the detriment of the European economy, in particular the European agriculture and forestry sector,” said the document, which was also signed by Finland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden.
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In recent weeks, EU leaders have softened several environmental policies in response to prolonged protests from disgruntled farmers, who have deemed the bloc’s green initiatives overly stringent.
Agriculture ministers from EU countries are scheduled to review the document during a meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. Within the document, EU nations propose that producers from low-risk countries, which may encompass numerous EU members, be exempt from certain requirements.
Additionally, they advocate for a significant reduction in the certification burden for products deemed deforestation-free within the EU.
