Perhaps not surprisingly is that scattered impact research has been complemented by a very slipshod approach to implementation support.
For instance, after a delay so significant that it forced the EUDR to wait another year, the European Commission has finally published FAQs and Guidelines for EUDR stakeholders. Unfortunately these guidelines leave a lot of questions unanswered. Take for example the text referring to Legal Compliance to Human Rights. The guidelines here are so vague that I have yet to meet a single person who can explain to me what this would look like in practice. Even worse, for many issues it is completely unclear where the metaphorical buck stops. For a lot of the EUDR’s practicalities, the European Commission directs stakeholders to relevant ‘Competent Authorities’ or Member States, who in turn point right back at the Commission.
To address this clutter of unclear advice and less clear roles and responsibilities, a Standing Committee on EUDR should be established, with Member States, the European Commission and Competent Authorities working in close cooperation with companies, NGOs and producing countries. This would allow us to find practical ways forward, together, and to create clarity for everyone impacted.
The EUDR needs dialogue, partnership and funding
Perhaps most crucially the dialogue and partnership with producing countries that is essential for a successful EUDR has received little attention. This is despite the fact that Article 30 of the EUDR requires stakeholders to work on compliance as well as the root causes of deforestation, such as poverty amongst smallholders.
After 15 months the Commission has now presented an insufficient and broadly disappointing Strategic Framework for International Cooperation Engagement. The Framework is mainly an overview of existing programmes. The Team Europe Initiative to support implementation amounts to a paltry €80 million euros in funding from just two Member States. This is a baby step in the right direction when we need to be taking long strides.
To make EUDR work for both nature and the people at the start of global supply chains, ambitious partnerships with producing countries are essential. These need to be tailored to the scale of the challenge and focus on addressing the root causes of deforestation, and they need to include support for the millions of smallholders affected.
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Publish date : 2024-12-18 05:27:00
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