Why the EU’s deforestation law needs urgent reconsideration?

 Monday, June 17, 2024

The European Union (EU) introduced the European Union Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR) as a key component of the broader EU Green Deal last year. This legislation targets the reduction of deforestation and forest degradation associated with the trade of specific commodities within the EU. We fully endorse the EU’s objectives with this anti-deforestation regulation, recognizing its critical role in promoting sustainable practices.

What is the EU’s Deforestation Law?

The European Union Deforestation-Free Products Regulation went into effect in June of 2023. The law aims to fight global deforestation and forest degradation by regulating certain products entering or leaving the EU market.

This law is unprecedented because of the requirements it imposes to comply with the law.

It requires EU importers and exporters to prove their agricultural products are:

• Deforestation and forest degradation-free after 2020.
• In compliance with country laws.
• Supported by a mandatory Due Diligence Statement and extensive accompanying data.

Is paper included in EUDR?

Wood and products made with wood fiber from trees are included in the law. For the industry, that includes:

Materials used to make a final product like pulp, printing paper, and packaging materials used to make items like cardboard boxes, cereal boxes and shoe boxes.
Final products like books, paper towels, diapers or medicine boxes.

The U.S. pulp and paper industry is not linked to global deforestation and forest degradation.

Today, U.S. forests are stable, healthy and growing:

• 1/3 of the U.S. is forested.
• More than 1 billion trees are planted each year.
• The net forest area in the U.S. has increased steadily in the past 30 years.

Additionally, AF&PA members adhere to sustainable fiber procurement principles as a condition of membership.

The EU’s Deforestation Law is Concerning for the U.S. Pulp and Paper Industry

What’s concerning for the industry is how EUDR will be implemented, especially EUDR’s strict geolocation traceability requirements. This requirement could pose technical trade barriers for U.S. companies based on our complex supply chain and fiber flow process.

What is the EUDR traceability requirement?

The EU’s deforestation law requires producers to trace each product shipment back to the specific real estate plots of land that is or could be linked to the shipment. That means providing the exact geographic location coordinates like those from a GPS. In addition, each exporter must identify and provide contact information from the supply chain associated with each shipment. This is part of their due diligence obligations.

Read more news on: EUDR, Pulp and paper industry, forest, European forestry

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Tags: deforestation, European Union Forest Strategy, wood, wood and panel, wood fiber, woodworking, woodworking industry