This Wednesday, the European Parliament will vote on revisions to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). The Swedish Forest Industries Federation (SFIF) urges Members of Parliament to seize this opportunity to create rules that work in practice – by fully removing the requirement to transmit reference numbers downstream in the value chain.
“This obligation adds only administrative burdens and costs for companies, without advancing the vital goal of halting global deforestation. At a time when the industry faces severe challenges, with layoffs and closures, imposing unnecessary paperwork is unjustified”, says Viveka Beckeman, Director General of SFIF.
Last week, Member States agreed on a compromise that only goes halfway. The requirement to collect reference numbers remains for countless companies with no link to deforestation. The compromise might work for politics, but not for real life. Now the European Parliament must take responsibility and simplify the EUDR once and for all. The requirement for all downstream operators to collect and store reference numbers should be eliminated. Instead, allow them to maintain supplier and customer records in line with existing EU practices.
“The fight against global deforestation is essential, but an endless stream of reference numbers without genuine traceability will not achieve this goal. By imposing responsibility and control where it truly matters, the EU can protect forests while safeguarding European competitiveness”, says Viveka Beckeman.
