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German Chancellor Scholz Urges EU to Postpone
Deforestation Regulation Due to Print Industry Concerns.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has requested that the European Union (EU) pause the implementation of a new regulation intended to combat deforestation, to address concerns from the print industry about its impact.At a BDZV newspaper lobby congress in Berlin on Thursday, Scholz voiced his alignment with publishers who are worried about the new regulation, known as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The regulation is set to take effect at the end of this year. Scholz’s remarks align with criticisms from countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia, who argue that the regulation could adversely affect global commodity markets.
Scholz emphasized the need for the regulation to be practical and stated that he had personally asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to delay the EUDR until the issues raised by the BDZV are addressed.
In March, the BDZV and other advocacy groups had urged both the German government and the European Commission to alleviate the potential risks, sanctions, and burdens the regulation might impose on businesses. They claimed that, in its current form, the EUDR threatens not only the production of printed materials for the public but also press products, election documents, technical documentation, labels, and packaging, all of which are crucial to infrastructure.
The EUDR is designed to address climate change and halt biodiversity loss, potentially affecting over $110 billion in trade annually, impacting economies across six continents, and requiring suppliers to adapt to Europe’s environmental goals.
Brazil has also called for a delay in the law’s implementation, stating in a letter to EU officials that the regulation covers more than 30% of its exports to the EU. Brazilian officials argued that the EUDR was developed without adequate understanding of the production and export processes and the realities in various countries, and they criticized it as unilateral and punitive.
The EU has acknowledged receipt of Brazil’s letter. Scholz’s request and Brazil’s call for a postponement increase the pressure on the EU to reconsider the timing of the regulation, which targets deforestation driven by industries like beef, timber, soy, and coffee. Countries like Indonesia and Malaysia have also criticized the law, suggesting it will disproportionately impact smallholder farmers and the agricultural sector.
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