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In a bid to combat deforestation, the European Union has passed a new law that prohibits the import of products linked to deforestation. This law, which takes effect at the end of 2024, will require importers of commodities such as coffee, cocoa, livestock, and palm to prove that their products are not contributing to deforestation or face heavy fines. However, this law has caused challenges for coffee growers in meeting these requirements.
Coffee growers in producer countries have expressed concerns that the law may exclude small farmers from accessing the EU market. Meeting the requirements could be difficult for farmers in remote regions due to lack of resources and knowledge about satellite imagery and on-the-ground verification. JDE Peet’s, a major coffee company, acknowledges the tight deadline for compliance with this new EU law. Despite efforts to simplify some aspects of the law, they are still struggling to meet the requirements by the deadline. They have been working on mapping and monitoring coffee regions in several countries using satellite imagery and on-the-ground verification, but still need agreements with more countries to ensure continued imports.
The implementation of this law is facing opposition from many EU member countries who fear even farmers within the EU may have difficulty meeting all the necessary requirements. The European Commission has indicated openness to discussions with industry stakeholders to address concerns about application of this law. In response, companies like JDE Peet’s are working against time to ensure compliance and continuation of their operations while simultaneously advocating for changes or suspension of this law if necessary.
Overall, it seems that while this new EU regulation aims towards protecting forests and preventing deforestation; it presents challenges for coffee growers who must comply with its strict guidelines before they can continue trading their products within Europe or outside it.
