EU regulates products possibly contributing to deforestation

The European Union (EU) has adopted on Tuesday new regulations ensuring traders do not contribute with their activity to deforestation.

The legislation requires companies trading in certain products to prove they have not caused forest degradation anywhere since 2021.

Regulated products include chocolate, printed paper, palm oil, cattle, wood, coffee, cocoa, rubber and soy.

Additionally, the law obligates companies to verify their imports align with the rules of human rights and indigenous people protection.

Forests contribute largely to absorbing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and decrease air pollution.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that 1.6 million square miles of forest were destroyed between 1990 and 2020.