News in Brief:
– Austrian ministers petition for a delay in implementing the EU anti-deforestation law, citing bureaucratic hurdles and disproportionate burdens on local farmers.
– They advocate for risk classification of countries and regions, emphasising the need to target deforestation where it occurs on a large scale while highlighting Austria’s success in increasing forest areas.
Austria’s agriculture and economy ministers have jointly appealed to Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, urging a postponement of the EU anti-deforestation law’s implementation. The letter, sent on 27 April 2024, emphasises the challenges that the impending law presents to national authorities and local businesses.
They called attention to the ‘insurmountable challenges’ posed by what they see as unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles. Meanwhile, they urged for the classification of countries or regions into three categories based on the risk of deforestation to streamline enforcement.
One notable concern raised by the Austrian representatives is the disproportionate burden the regulations would impose on all market participants, including local farmers. The lack of a classification for low-risk countries means increased control efforts and due diligence obligations, potentially affecting the livelihoods of farmers across the country.
While acknowledging the importance of combatting deforestation, the ministers stress the need to focus efforts on areas where these practices occur extensively. They highlight Austria’s own success in increasing forest areas over the past decades, stressing that the problem lies primarily outside the EU.
The Austrian proposal has garnered support from 22 EU countries, including Finland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Sweden. During a recent EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting, several ministers echoed the call for a delay in implementation.
EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski has indicated his support for postponing the implementation of the rules for an additional year. This move aims to address concerns raised by member states and provide more time for deliberation on the regulation’s impact.
