Commodities imported into the European Union (EU) from four nations will now undergo stringent checks under the new anti-deforestation law, which aims to combat global environmental degradation. According to the European Commission, Belarus, Myanmar, North Korea, and Russia have been categorized as “high risk” in terms of contributing to deforestation, and goods imported from these countries will be subject to the toughest compliance measures.
In contrast, Brazil and Indonesia, two significant players in global agriculture with notoriously high deforestation rates, will be labeled as “standard risk.” This classification means that while these countries must still adhere to some due diligence regulations, the compliance measures they face are comparatively less burdensome.
The legislation, hailed as the first of its kind globally, mandates that companies importing various products, including soy, beef, palm oil, timber, cocoa, coffee, and chocolate, demonstrate that these commodities were not sourced from land that has been deforested post-2020. High-risk countries will require compliance checks on 9% of exporting companies, while standard-risk countries will be subject to checks on 3% and low-risk countries at 1%. The United States, classified as “low-risk,” is still required to provide information about its supply chains but will face minimal additional obligations.
Despite the EU’s intention to protect forests, some green campaigners have criticized the decision to impose the strictest regulations on only four nations. Giulia Bondi from Global Witness noted that even lower-risk countries still have obligations to ensure their goods do not contribute to deforestation. However, not all organizations share the same optimism; Rainforest Foundation Norway expressed concern that Brazil’s classification as standard risk is unjustified—citing alarming increases in deforestation rates over the past year.
The Commission has defended its decision, asserting that the categorization of countries is based on scientific data. This legislation will take effect at the end of 2025 for major companies and in mid-2026 for smaller enterprises, with non-compliance potentially resulting in penalties of up to 4% of a company’s turnover in an EU member state.
This new law is viewed not just as regulatory compliance but as part of broader efforts to secure the planet’s ecological health, which was also highlighted in other recent discussions concerning global biodiversity and conservation at events like COP 16. While the challenges are substantial, there is hope that such initiatives can stimulate better practices in resource management, supporting both environmental sustainability and economic equity for countries reliant on forest resources.
Biodiversity advocacy continues to grow in parallel, promoting international collaboration that seeks to unite economic interests with rigorous environmental protection initiatives. As such, ongoing dialogues among nations and various stakeholders could forge pathways leading to a more sustainable future for global forest management.
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