EU law threat to $130m beef exports

Australia will seek to head off a push to place it on the EU’s list of ‘high-risk’ ­nations for clearing of native forests, a move that threatens to halt beef exports to Europe.

New European laws aim to end importation of products linked to deforestation. Picture: DES

Australia will seek to head off a push to place it on the EU’s list of “high-risk” ­nations for clearing of native forests, a move that threatens to halt beef exports to Europe.

The laws, passed by the European parliament in December, will prohibit importation of products linked to deforestation, raising concerns within Australia’s agriculture sector that the country’s $130m European beef export market could be wiped out.

Agriculture Minister Murray Watt will use his visit to Berlin this week for the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture to meet foreign counterparts and spruik Australian farming’s sustainable credentials in a bid to head off any future application of the new laws to Australian products.

Key to the pitch will be promotion of Australia’s efforts to stem land clearing rates and boost biodiversity in the hopes that Australia is not included in the same category as countries like Brazil and Indonesia, which have high rates of rainforest clearing.

“Together with around 80 other agriculture ministers from all over the world, I will be putting forward Australia’s position on issues of food security, sustainability, global supply chains, climate change and how we can improve our agriculture and food systems to face these challenges,” Senator Watt said. “It’s important the world knows Australia has a new government determined to partner with our ag sector to build on its strong record on sustainability.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to put our vital agricultural sector front and centre on the world stage.”

The European parliament’s legislation, which could be in effect within two years, applies to beef, timber, soy, cocoa and coffee and would prevent companies from selling products linked to deforestation within EU member states. Exporters will need to include information about the land on which products are produced.

Member states will then need to scrutinise compliance of 9 per cent of exports from countries deemed to be at high risk of deforestation, 3 per cent from standard risk countries and 1 per cent for low risk countries.

Farmers fear it will prevent them managing vegetation, including weeds, and stop the practice of using trees such as mulga to feed livestock in droughts.

Australia’s Wilderness Society has led a campaign – “Can Europe save the koala?” – for EU members to include Australia in the top tier of problematic nations and extend the crackdown to ­include financing of “destructive indus­tries” from European institutions.

Yale University’s 2022 Environmental Performance Index placed Australia in 17th place out of 180 countries, making it the top performing non-European nation. When it came to tree cover loss, Australia was tied on 161 as one of the worst performers.

The crackdown on deforestation comes as Australia pushes for a new free-trade agreement with the EU to include scrapping beef import tariffs.

“The EU must strongly consider the impacts of deforestation in Australia associated with any ongoing or increased beef imports under a potential EU-Australia free-trade agreement,” the Wilderness Society recommended in a report in October. “Indeed, increased beef industry-associated deforestation in Australia resulting from an EU-AFTA would undermine the EU’s Green Deal ambition to protect biodiversity worldwide.”

Senator Watt will be joined on the European trip by National Farmers Federation president Fiona Simson.

NFF chief executive Tony Mahar said the focus of the visit, which will include a stopover in London to discuss the new free-trade agreement with the UK, was to promote Australian agriculture and develop market access. “Australian farmers are acutely aware of the global shift towards sustainable agriculture and we are of the view Australian industry is well placed to demonstrate our credentials in this space,” he said.