EU countries seek more cuts to deforestation rules, letter shows
From December, the deforestation law, a world first, will require operators placing goods including soy, beef and palm oil, onto the EU market to provide proof their products did not cause deforestation.
Felling CO2-storing forests is a major cause of climate change. But despite worsening extreme weather, political will to impose strict emissions-cutting policies has ebbed, as governments worry about the financial costs.
Brussels has already delayed its launch by a year and cut back reporting rules following criticism from trading partners, including the United States, as well as from EU countries.
Of the EU's 27 member countries, agriculture ministers from 18 wrote to the Commission on Monday, demanding the EU rules are not applied to countries deemed to have a low risk of deforestation. They should stick to national measures instead, they said.
"Excessive and redundant due diligence requirements should be removed in countries where agricultural expansion is not significantly reducing the forest area," the letter said.
It was signed by Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden.
The deforestation law also applies to EU exports, prompting the 18 countries to voice concern that European producers would relocate abroad to avoid the additional cost of complying with the rules.
"The full traceability within the EU-market required for all commodities by the regulation will be extremely difficult, if not impossible for some of them," the letter added.
The countries said Brussels should consider delaying the launch of the policy again, while it drafts proposals to simplify the rules further.
A Commission spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The EU policy aims to end the 10% of global deforestation linked to EU consumption of imported goods.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
27 minutes ago
- Reuters
Trump says US will send more weapons to Ukraine
WASHINGTON, July 7 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday the United States would be sending more weapons to Ukraine to help the war-torn country defend itself against Russian attacks. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said Ukraine was getting hit very hard by Russia and needed to be able to defend itself. The United States would be sending primarily defensive weapons, he said. Trump on Friday told reporters that Ukraine would need Patriot missiles to defend itself, but did not mention them again specifically on Monday. "We're going to send some more weapons. We have to. They have to be able to defend themselves. They're getting hit very hard, now. They're getting hit very hard. We're going to have to send more weapons, defensive weapons, primarily," he said at the start of a dinner with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. After a call with Trump on Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he had agreed to work on increasing Kyiv's capability to "defend the sky" as Russian attacks escalated. He said he discussed joint defense production, purchases and investments with Trump. Ukraine has been asking Washington to sell it more Patriot missiles and systems that it sees as key to defending its cities from intensifying Russian air strikes. A decision by Washington to halt some shipments of weapons to Ukraine prompted warnings by Kyiv that the move would weaken its ability to defend against Russia's air strikes and battlefield advances. Germany said it is in talks on buying Patriot air defense systems for Ukraine to bridge the gap.
South Wales Argus
39 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
King to highlight vital bond with France over threats that ‘know no borders'
Charles and the Queen are set to welcome the French leader and his wife Brigitte to Windsor Castle on Tuesday as Mr Macron begins his three-day state visit to the UK. At a glittering banquet in the historic Berkshire landmark in the evening, the monarch will deliver a speech, highlighting how 'these challenges know no borders: no fortress can protect us against them this time'. The King will deliver a speech at the state banquet in honour of French president Emmanuel Macron (Chris Jackson/PA) But he will tell Mr Macron that Britain and France can help lead the way in confronting threats relating to defence, technology and climate change, saying: 'Our two nations share not only values, but also the tireless determination to act on them in the world.' Charles and Camilla are hosting Mr Macron and the first lady at the historic royal residence. They will be feted with a carriage ride through the town, a ceremonial welcome and the opulent state dinner. Brigitte Macron and the Queen join in with a toast alongside the King and French President Emmanuel Macron at a Palace of Versailles banquet in 2023 (Daniel Leal/PA) The King, in his toast, will reflect on 1,000 years of 'shared history and culture between our two peoples', including many of the royal family's personal connections to France. 'For centuries our citizens have admired each other, amused each other, and imitated each other', he will say, and reveal how he remains 'in awe of France's extraordinary attributes and achievements'. Charles will also hail the Anglo-French partnership as vital amid the many challenges of today, saying: 'Our two countries face a multitude of complex threats, emanating from multiple directions. 'As friends and as allies, we face them together.' The King delivering a speech at the State Banquet at the Palace of Versailles, Paris in 2023 (Daniel Leal/PA) It marks the first state visit to the UK by an EU head of state since Brexit, and will see Mr Macron address parliamentarians in the Palace of Westminster's Royal Gallery and, on Thursday, join a UK-France Summit at Downing Street. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has signalled a 'reset' in relations between the UK and Europe as he looks to heal the wounds caused by the Brexit years. Defence, growth, security, migration and French tactics on tackling small boats will be discussed, with the two leaders expected to dial in to speak to other allied nations who are looking to support any future peace deal in Ukraine. Downing Street said on Monday that the UK's relationship with France was 'key' to dealing with boat crossings, following reports French police officers had used knives to puncture a boat off the coast. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a bilateral meeting with Mr Macron at the G7 summit in June (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Prince and Princess of Wales will also play a role by meeting the president and the French first lady at RAF Northolt on Tuesday morning on behalf of the King and travelling with them to Windsor. Charles and Camilla will formerly greet their guests on a Royal Dais constructed on Datchet Road in Windsor town centre, with the castle in the backdrop as gun salutes sound in nearby Home Park. The King, the Queen, the Waleses and Mr and Mrs Macron will then take a carriage procession through Windsor and along part of the Long Walk which leads to the castle, just as former French president Nicolas Sarkozy did in 2008. Mr Macron's state visit to the UK, from July 8-10, is the first to be hosted at Windsor Castle, rather than Buckingham Palace, in a more than a decade since that of the Irish president Michael D Higgins in 2014. Guests listen during a speech by Queen Elizabeth II in honour of the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins at Windsor Castle in 2014 (Dan Kitwood/PA) State visits, which capitalise on the royals' soft power to strengthen diplomatic ties overseas, will be hosted at Windsor for the next few years while reservicing work continues at the London Palace and starts to affect the state rooms. The last state visit to the UK from France was in March 2008 when the now-disgraced Mr Sarkozy, since convicted of corruption and influence peddling, and his wife Carla Bruni, were the guests of Elizabeth II at Windsor. The arrangements are likely to form the template for US President Donald Trump's high-profile state visit in September, but much will depend on security considerations for the US leader, who survived an assassination attempt last year. A ceremonial welcome will be staged in the castle's quadrangle with Camilla, William, Kate and Mrs Macron watching as the King and Mr Macron inspect the Guard of Honour. The Prince and Princess of Wales will also take part in the state visit (Yui Mok/PA) Lunch will be hosted in the State Dining Room, after which the president and his wife, the King and Queen and members of the royal family will view a special exhibition of items relating to France from the Royal Collection in the Green Drawing and Mrs Macron will also travel to London on Tuesday afternoon to see the Grave of the Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey and visit the Palace of Westminster where the French leader will address parliamentarians before meeting opposition leaders at Lancaster House. The King and president will both deliver speeches at the banquet in the medieval St George's Hall, where some 160 guests will be seated at the elaborately decorated 50 metre table, which will run the full length of the vast room. A state visit is being hosted at Windsor Castle for the first time in 11 years (Steve Parsons/PA) Kensington Palace has yet to confirm whether Kate will attend the banquet. The princess opened up about her 'rollercoaster' cancer recovery, its life-changing impact and putting on a 'brave face' last week. The King and Queen paid a state visit to France in September 2023 and enjoy a warm rapport with Mr and Mrs Macron, who will stay in the castle during their trip. Mrs Macron, 72, sparked a storm in May when she was seen pushing her husband's face away with both hands before they disembarked a plane in Vietnam. Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte (Gareth Fuller/PA) The 47-year-old president dismissed the gesture – caught on camera – as horseplay, but it caused a stir in France, with daily Le Parisien newspaper asking: 'Slap or 'squabble'?' The couple, married since 2007, met at the high school where Mr Macron was a student and Brigitte was a married teacher. The visit comes a year after the UK and France celebrated 120 years since the signing of the Entente Cordiale. The Anglo-French agreements in 1904 ushered in improved relations between the two countries which had fought against each other during the Napoleonic Wars.
BBC News
43 minutes ago
- BBC News
The Documentary Podcast Re-homing France's immigrant workers
France's last foyers – housing for immigrant workers – are set for demolition. But some current residents are worried about what they'll lose. Hundreds of 'foyers' - housing units especially for immigrant workers – were built after World War II. The economy was booming and France needed unskilled labour to help rebuild the country. But since the 1990s there has been a policy to get rid of the old foyers and replace them with a type of social housing. However, residents of the old foyers fear they are going to lose out in this transformation. Carolyn Lamboley has been visiting some foyers around Paris and speaking to those who for decades have called these places home. They fear for the break-up of their communities, for a loss of their culture and the little they have. This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.
