Enforcing a Due Diligence based regulation for forest risk commodities

Event based on the report, Enforcing due diligence legislation ‘plus’
 

Background:

On 23 July 2019, the European Commission adopted a Communication on Stepping up EU Action to Protect and Restore the World’s Forests. Reducing the footprint of EU consumption on land, and encouraging the consumption in the EU of products from deforestation-free supply chains, is one of the Communication's five priorities. In the recent related public consultation, more than 70% of respondents thought that the current EU policy and legislative framework against deforestation and forest degradation was inadequate.

On 17 March 2021, we discussed ideas and recommendations on how to reduce the risk of EU imported deforestation. We looked at the type of regulation the Commission should adopt to help halt global deforestation and how it could be enforced. 

This webinar also outlined the findings of a recent Fern report that draws lessons from the enforcement of existing due diligence laws, including the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR), the EU Conflict Mineral Regulation, and the US Lacey Act.

All presentations are available here.

Programme: 

• Welcome
  –  Nicole Polsterer, Sustainable Consumption and Production Campaigner, Fern
   
• Welcome and introduction – based on the European Parliament's report, 'An EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation'
  – Delara Burkhardt, Member of the European Parliament (S&D) and Rapporteur on an EU legal framework to halt deforestation
   
• Findings of Fern report, Enforcing due diligence legislation ‘plus’ 
  – Duncan Brack, independent policy advisor
   
• What main changes a new Due Diligence Regulation would need to incorporate?
  – Pavla Slavíčková, Forest Management Institute, Competent Authority for the EU Timber Regulation, Czech Republic
   
• Research on mandatory reporting systems
  – Jade Saunders, Senior Policy Analyst, Forest Trends
   
• Reactions by Bart Vandewaetere, Vice President, Corporate Communications and Government Relations, Nestlé Europe, Middle East & North Africa

• Reacting to proposals and summarizing state of play on fitness check of EUTR and forest risk commodity regulation 
  – Hugo Schally, Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Environment, Global Sustainable Development, Multilateral Environmental Cooperation (ENV.F.3), European Commission

Q&A and discussion

• Discussion summary
  – Saskia Ozinga, independent consultant

Closing remarks

Category: Events