The European Parliament on Tuesday agreed to advocate new laws for companies to verify that many products sold in the European Union are not produced on deforested or degraded soils.and will also seek to expand the range of goods subject to this surveillance to include meat or paper products.
453 votes in favour, 57 against and 123 abstentions. The European Parliament has determined its position for the next negotiation with the European Union countries regarding this new regulation it is seeking, “to assure consumers that the products they purchase do not contribute to deforestation”reports Eph.
The Commission, which launched its proposal in March this year, proposed to include palm oil, beef, soybeans, coffee, cocoa and some of its wood and derivative products on the list of affected products. For example, leather, chocolate or furniture as the biggest contributors to deforestation in an impact study.
Lawmakers want pork, sheep and goat meat, poultry, corn and rubber, as well as coal and printed paper products to be added to the list, and reduce by one year the date when products from deforested areas will be removed from the European market.
to respect human rights
The European Parliament also recommends that companies’ verification work be expanded to include that the products they market in Europe are produced with respect for human rights and the rights of indigenous peoples.
The idea expressed by the European Parliament is not to ban countries or certain goods, “satellite tracking tools, field inspections, supplier training or isotope testing to verify the origin of products”.
In a statement, Greenpeace applauded Parliament for advocating stronger definitions of deforested and degraded land that would allow for the preservation of larger areas of forest, as opposed to the Council, and for expanding the list of products affected by the law.
Both European co-legislators are now ready to negotiate and will start tripartite talks with the European Commission in the coming weeks. Agree on the final text of the regulation.
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