EPP Group to vote against flawed deforestation risk list

The EPP Group will vote this afternoon against the European Commission's proposed list of countries deemed at risk of deforestation. We're calling for a more nuanced proposal that avoids bureaucracy for farmers, forest owners, and industry. The European Parliament's Environment Committee is set to vote on an objection to the European Commission's Implementing Act of the anti-deforestation law.

"The European Commission's country classification system is flawed, assigning risk levels to countries without adequately considering the complexities of deforestation and forest degradation. We need a more nuanced approach, including a 'no risk' category for countries with stable or increasing forest areas. This would reduce bureaucracy and ensure that our efforts to combat deforestation are targeted and effective," said MEP Alexander Bernhuber, EPP Group lead negotiator on the Objection to the Implementing Act.  

MEP Christine Schneider, the European Parliament's lead negotiator on the anti-deforestation law, agrees that the current proposal is not effective. "The current methodology falls short: it fails to combat illegal deforestation effectively and instead imposes a bureaucratic burden on everyone. In Europe, we should support those who manage our forests intelligently and responsibly rather than penalising them with additional red tape. Those who operate deforestation-free should not be subject to general suspicion simply because others engage in forest exploitation. We need a practical, results-oriented approach that targets countries with an actual deforestation risk," she says.  

The EPP Group is calling for a revised approach that takes the unique national circumstances into account, supports those who manage forests responsibly, and minimises the bureaucratic burden for our farmers and industry.