EPP attack on Deforestation Regulation thwarted

Today, Members of the European Parliament finally voted on the one year delay of the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which the Commission proposed at the beginning of October. Following the Commission’s legislative proposal, the EPP tabled amendments to the regulation, relying on far-right support and totally derailing the process whilst creating significant chaos and uncertainty for businesses. Fortunately, Member States opposed the EPP’s approach. As stated from the outset, the Greens/EFA  oppose the delay to this flagstone Green Deal law as continued inaction on deforestation represents a failure to take urgently needed action on climate and biodiversity. Furthermore, this law needs defending at a time when the Mercosur agreement threatens it even more.

Marie Toussaint MEP, Greens/EFA shadow rapporteur on the Deforestation Regulation, comments: 

“The deforestation regulation, even if delayed, is essential for the preservation of our planet, but a one-year delay is a disaster for forests and human rights. The EPP has wasted everyone's time, proving that allying with the far right only leads to failure. We must now concentrate our efforts on the rapid implementation of the regulation, by supporting companies in their compliance and keep providing legal certainty for stakeholders concerned by the regulation. "The battle to defend the European Green Deal is far from over: this attack on the Deforestation Regulation was just a glimpse of the determination of the right and its far-right allies to unravel social and environmental gains: the Habitat Directive, texts on corporate responsibility or due diligence. All on the radar of the right-wing forces, which  the Greens will continue to defend during this term. Moreover, a thorough analysis of the EU-Mercosur Agreement has shown that it would significantly weaken the application of the deforestation regulation, for example by allowing Mercosur States to ask for financial compensation for any decrease of their exports to the EU market linked with the regulation. This is concerning and leads us to fight evenmore against this agreement."

Virginijus Sinkevičius, Greens/EFA MEP and former Commissioner responsible for the Deforestation Regulation, comments:

"Today, the European Parliament has sent a clear message: protecting the world’s rainforests is not negotiable. The EPP’s attempts to undermine this vital legislation failed decisively, proving that there is no place for short-sighted politics when it comes to safeguarding our planet’s most precious ecosystems. Although delayed by one year, this regulation delivers on our commitment to combat deforestation, providing certainty for businesses, consumers, and the environment alike."