EU deforestation regulation risks further delay

The regulation is struggling for support in its current form from within member states.

The European Union’s embattled deforestation regulation is struggling for support in its current form within its own member states.

Earlier this week 17 of the 28 agriculture ministers of EU countries signed a joint letter to the European Commission, urging the commission to simplify the proposed regulations.

The regulation as it stands would ban a range of goods including cattle, coffee, cocoa and timber if produced using land that was deforested after December 2020.

The letter said the regulation in its current form “does not sufficiently take into account countries with effective forest protection laws and a negligible risk of deforestation” and that the requirements imposed “on farmers, forest owners and operators remain onerous and not justified for countries with an insignificant risk of deforestation”.

In October last year the regulation was delayed 12 months, and it set to come into effect at the end of 2025, with the ministers saying pending simplification proposals, a further postponement might be advisable.

Newly-appointed Cattle Australia chief executive Will Evans said the uncertainty around the regulation had long been a cause of confusion within EU member states and the union’s trading partners.

“Further work to streamline these systems and reduce non-tariff barriers for market entry to the EU would be welcomed, but that remains an issue for the EU and EU member states to resolve,” he said.

Newly-appointed Cattle Australia chief executive. Picture: Fia Walsh.

Mr Evans said Australian supply chains were already sourcing cattle for delivery to EU markets after the December deadline, with the industry prepared to meet the new requirements.

“However, there is a need for eligible and interested producers to act now to add geolocation to their Property Identification Codes within the Livestock Production Assurance if they are to retain their EU accreditation and access to the premiums on offer for EU cattle,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the Albanese Government was “aware of calls from a number of EU Member States to simplify the regulation.”

“The Government continues to engage with the European Commission on the need for simplification of the regulation to reduce the burden on Australian companies exporting to the EU,” she said.