Fairtrade expected the EP to honour the commitment made to the legislation in 2023 but instead they have taken a step backward in the fight against forest protection and climate change. We fear that by opening up the EUDR many crucial initiatives to reduce deforestation will be diminished, farmers and responsible businesses will be harmed by the uncertainty, and the EU will lose momentum and leadership on this issue.   

With the new proposals, the European Commission will need to convene another trilogue process and agree on a way forward. We must avoid chaos and uncertainty. We call on the negotiators to agree swiftly on a robust compromise that would be as close as possible to the original version of the EUDR.   

Fairtrade believes that the proposal adopted by the EP of a “no-risk category” only risks reinforcing the neo-colonialist approach of sustainability, that is already heavily criticised by many of its partner countries. This is exactly the reason why Fairtrade is calling for a Global Green Deal.

We must all protect what Europe and its citizens worked so hard to achieve with this key legislation of the European Green Deal. That is why addressing deforestation and accelerating our compliance with EUDR remain critical priorities for Fairtrade.

In fact, we are continuing to work towards EUDR compliance with the same momentum by moving forward with productive and technical capacity-building initiatives in our supply chains. We are committed to meeting our targets, and in supporting Fairtrade coffee, cocoa, and soy producer organisations to be ready to comply with EUDR regulation by the end of 2024.   

To help Fairtrade cocoa and coffee farmers and cooperatives get ready, we partnered with nature tech firm Satelligence to assist with geolocation data collection and the production of due diligence statements that can be shared with commercial partners.

Plus, Fairtrade Standard requirements related to deforestation remain unchanged. This means that producer organisations must still submit geolocation data to Fairtrade International, according to the processes and timelines outlined in the respective Fairtrade Cocoa and Coffee Standards. 

These requirements are already in effect for Fairtrade cocoa producer organisations in Africa and Asia since January 2024 and will be active from January 2025 for Latin American and Caribbean producers. For coffee cooperatives certified on or after 1 January 2025, the requirements will already apply, but for currently certified cooperatives the requirements take effect in January 2026.

We are moving forward with EUDR and expect the member states of the EU to act responsibly on behalf of their citizens to support a law that works to protect our environment and future.