By AFP - Agence France Presse
EU states oppose reducing deforestation ban in question
An overwhelming majority of European Union governments opposed new amendments to a sweeping law against deforestation on Wednesday, rejecting a last-ditch effort by parliament to relax the controversial rules, diplomatic sources said.
The bill, which bans the import of products that cause deforestation, was thrown into uncertainty last week after EU lawmakers on the right hijacked a vote on a one-year delay in implementation to amend the text.
But almost all 27 member states, with the exception of Italy, agreed to reject the additional amendments at a meeting of country representatives in Brussels, several diplomatic sources confirmed.
Most governments considered that “opening up the text would only generate legal uncertainty,” according to one diplomat.
A meeting between representatives of parliament, the European Commission, and member states would be convened to chart a way forward, the source said.
The law bans a wide range of products - from coffee to cocoa, soy, timber, palm oil, livestock, printing paper, and rubber - if they are produced using land that has been deforested after December 2020.
The ban was celebrated by environmental groups as a major breakthrough in the fight to protect nature and combat climate change.
However, the ban faced opposition from trading partners and some EU capitals amid concerns about bureaucracy, costs, and a lack of clarity about some aspects of the law.
In October, the Commission proposed postponing its entry into force by a year to December 30, 2025 - a move supported by parliament and member states.
The amendments introduced last week sought to lessen the administrative burden for countries deemed not to be at risk of deforestation, among other things. But critics said they could have resulted in some nations being exempted from all obligations.
bur-ub/ec/db
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