Brazil has asked the European Commission to postpone the entry into force of its new anti-deforestation regulations, scheduled for the end of the year, calling them a “unilateral and punitive instrument” and a threat to its exports.
In a letter sent Wednesday during a bilateral meeting in Brazil, Brasilia called on the European Union to “urgently review” its new law, a “subject of serious concern” for the country’s exports.
The Brazilian government considers the new European regulation as contrary to the ‘principle of sovereignty’, judging that it ‘discriminates against countries by only affecting those that have forest resources’.
No products from deforested land after 2020
Promulgated in 2023, the new European regulation against deforestation plans to ban from the end of 2024 the marketing in the European Union of a series of products (cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil, wood, beef, rubber, leather, furniture, paper, etc.) if they come from land deforested after December 2020.
Importing companies, responsible for their supply chain, will have to prove traceability via geolocation data provided by farmers, combined with satellite photos.
‘Lamentable and astonishing’ mail
Brazil’s letter is “sad, lamentable and astonishing” because it “contradicts the president’s own speech,” Marcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, a network of around a hundred environmental NGOs in Brazil, told AFP on Thursday.
Brazil’s left-wing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who returned to power last year, has pledged to end illegal deforestation in the country by 2030, linked to the expansion of powerful agribusiness, which is still seeking land.
“There is no point in making speeches saying that we are going to end deforestation and promote sustainable agricultural production, if when a mechanism appears to achieve this goal, we do not put it in place,” reacted Mr. Astrini.
COP30
For him, the Brazilian position is “even more serious” because Brazil will host COP30 next year, the major international climate conference, in the Amazonian city of Belem (north).
In June, the United States also asked the EU to postpone the application of the text, which has also raised serious concerns from African, Asian and South American countries, as well as from certain European states, worried about additional costs for their farmers, breeders and foresters.
EPP also for a postponement
For its part, the European Commission assures that it is “working intensively on the implementation” of this new regulation, scheduled for the end of December. No postponement is planned at this stage.
A postponement would require a new legislative initiative from the Commission, whose new team is due to be presented on Tuesday, three months after the European elections.
In Parliament, the EPP conservatives have been calling for a postponement of this regulation since June, which the right presents as a ‘bureaucratic monster’.
Conversely, Green MEPs are alarmed by the questioning of this regulation. ‘This law is being attacked from all sides. We have concerns. Brazil is asking for this while it is the first to say that there is a red alert on deforestation,’ denounces MEP Marie Toussaint.
A technical meeting was also due to be held this Thursday between the Commission and the authorities of Malaysia and Indonesia.
/ATS
What are the main concerns Brazil has regarding the EU’s anti-deforestation law and how does it impact their trade relations?
Table of Contents
Brazil Urges EU to Postpone Anti-Deforestation Law, Citing Unfair Trade Practices
In a recent move, Brazil has requested the European Commission to postpone the implementation of its new anti-deforestation regulations, scheduled to take effect at the end of this year. The Brazilian government has termed the law a “unilateral and punitive instrument” that poses a significant threat to its exports [[1]].
The new European regulation, promulgated in 2023, aims to ban the marketing of products derived from land deforested after December 2020. The list of affected products includes cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil, wood, beef, rubber, leather, furniture, and paper [[1]]. To comply with the regulation, importing companies will be required to demonstrate traceability through geolocation data provided by farmers, combined with satellite photos.
Brazil’s concern stems from the perceived unfair trade practices inherent in the law, which it claims discriminates against countries with forest resources [[1]]. The Brazilian government believes that the regulation contravenes the principle of sovereignty and unfairly targets countries like Brazil.
Environmental organizations, however, have expressed disappointment and astonishment at Brazil’s stance. Marcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, criticized the move as contradictory to the president’s own speech, in which he pledged to end illegal deforestation in Brazil by 2030 [[1]]. Astrini emphasized that it is essential to implement mechanisms to achieve this goal, rather than resisting them.
The Brazilian position is particularly noteworthy, given that the country will host COP30, the major international climate conference, next year in the Amazonian city of Belem [[1]]. The conference aims to address global climate concerns, and Brazil’s reluctance to adopt anti-deforestation measures may be seen as a contradiction.
Brazil is not alone in its concerns, as the United States, African, Asian, and South American countries, as well as certain European states, have also raised objections to the regulation [[1]]. The European Commission, however, has reiterated its commitment to implementing the regulation, with no plans for postponement at this stage [[1]].
The European Union’s law is part of a broader effort to address the pressing issue of deforestation, which has severe environmental and ecological consequences. The law’s intention is to promote sustainable forestry practices and reduce the EU’s contribution to global deforestation. Brazil’s reluctance to adopt similar measures may hinder the effectiveness of the regulation and undermine global efforts to combat deforestation.
the controversy surrounding the EU’s anti-deforestation law highlights the complexity of balancing economic interests with environmental concerns. As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change, it is essential for countries to work together to develop and implement sustainable practices that prioritize environmental protection without compromising economic growth.
References:
What are Brazil’s main criticisms of the EU’s anti-deforestation law?
Brazil Urges EU to Postpone Anti-Deforestation Law, Citing Unfair Trade Practices
In a recent move, Brazil has requested the European Commission to postpone the implementation of its new anti-deforestation regulations, scheduled to take effect at the end of this year. The Brazilian government has termed the law a “unilateral and punitive instrument” that poses a significant threat to its exports [[1]].
The EU’s Anti-Deforestation Regulation
The new European regulation, promulgated in 2023, aims to ban the marketing of products derived from land deforested after December 2020. The list of affected products includes cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil, wood, beef, rubber, leather, furniture, and paper
