Parliament rejects EU anti-deforestation black list

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🗞️ Driving the news: The European Parliament has rejected the European Commission’s current “high-risk” country blacklist under the EU’s anti-deforestation law, calling for it to be repealed and revised with updated data and regional differentiation
• The resolution passed with 373 votes in favour, 289 against, and 26 abstentions
• While non-binding, the vote underscores strong political resistance to the Commission’s classification system, just months before the law’s implementation on December 30

🔭 The context: The EU anti-deforestation regulation, adopted in 2023, requires companies to ensure their imports do not contribute to deforestation or human rights abuses
• The Commission’s blacklist currently names only Belarus, North Korea, Russia, and Myanmar as “high risk,” omitting major deforestation hotspots such as Brazil, Indonesia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo
• The European People’s Party (EPP) has led criticism, arguing the list unfairly burdens responsible producers and overlooks real problem areas

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The EU’s anti-deforestation law is a cornerstone of its global biodiversity and climate strategy, with significant potential to curb illegal land clearing in tropical regions and drive supply chain reforms
• Weaknesses in the risk classification, however, risk undermining its credibility and effectiveness while exposing the EU to accusations of protectionism or political selectivity
• Calls for reform highlight the need to balance robust environmental safeguards with fair and targeted implementation

⏭️ What's next: While the Commission is not legally required to act on the Parliament’s vote, mounting political and stakeholder pressure — including from EU agriculture ministers — makes a revision of the benchmarking methodology likely
• The Commission has already committed to a review in 2026 but may now be forced to accelerate adjustments, potentially presenting technical changes as early as this autumn
• Member state environment ministers are expected to weigh in at an informal ENVI Council meeting this week, with further signals anticipated before the summer recess

💬 One quote: “We want to stop deforestation effectively, but not by drowning responsible forest managers in bureaucracy,” — EPP MEP Christine Schneider, criticising the blanket approach

📈 One stat: Under the Commission’s initial classification, only 4 countries were deemed “high risk,” despite the EU importing significant commodities from at least 10 recognised deforestation hotspots worldwide

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