Turbulent meeting

EU deforestation law: changes forced

Archive image from 2014: Preparatory work for a dam project in France

(Bild: APA/AFP/REMY GABALDA)

A vote on the so-called EU deforestation law was accompanied by a fierce exchange of blows in the EU Parliament on Thursday. In the end, the EPP, together with the far-right groups and parts of the Liberals, managed to push through amendments to the controversial law.

The EU deforestation law is intended to prevent products from being placed on the European market or exported from there if they have been produced by deforestation - in other words, if an area of forest has been permanently converted into agricultural land. In addition to timber, cattle, soy, cocoa, coffee, oil palms and rubber are also named as affected goods. Farmers or forest owners would therefore have to submit a due diligence declaration including geodata before they can place a product on the market. However, there are exemptions for small and medium-sized enterprises.

There was a turbulent session in the EU Parliament (symbolic image).

(Bild: Karl Grammer)

The original plan was only to postpone the date from which the rules of the already adopted EU law would take effect by twelve months. However, the EPP tabled further amendments a few days before the vote. According to these, the EU Commission should now also be able to designate countries or regions where there is no risk of deforestation. Products from these regions would then be largely exempt from the rules of the regulation. 

The vote on Thursday was chaotic in parts and was accompanied by technical problems. Several MEPs complained that their voting machines did not work at times. In view of the sometimes very close results for some amendments, some MEPs called for a new vote, but this was rejected by Parliament President Roberta Metsola (EPP). Outraged shouts were the result. However, the vote on the entire text (planned postponement plus adopted amendments) turned out to be quite clear, with 371 votes in favor, 240 against and 30 abstentions. 

FPÖ criticizes ÖVP's change of heart
"The EU deforestation regulation is completely unsuitable. A postponement or cosmetic corrections will not solve this problem", reacted FPÖ MEP Roman Haider in a press release. He also criticized the ÖVP for voting for the original deforestation regulation in spring 2023 and now wanting to push through changes.

"I cannot see any added value for Austria and Styria in the previous regulation," said ÖVP MEP Reinhold Lopatka. "Today's readjustment of the EU deforestation regulation by the European Parliament to include a zero-risk category for states and the postponement by one year are the first important steps towards reducing bureaucracy and excessive regulation in this legislative period."

"The clear-cutting for profit in Europe and internationally is a serious mistake for which many generations after us will pay dearly," criticized SPÖ MEP Günther Sidl. He is also particularly critical of the EPP's cooperation with the far-right forces in the EU Parliament.

"This clientele policy for the forest industry also endangers European forests, because now EU member states can claim that everything is fine here," said Green MEP Thomas Waitz. "The introduction of a new category for countries that supposedly have 'no risk' of deforestation could also mean that even third countries, such as possibly China, will have to carry out fewer or no checks." 

Business associations rejoice
The Austrian business associations concerned were delighted with today's result. WKÖ Trade Chairman Rainer Trefelik speaks of "a temporary victory for common sense". "A postponement of the EU deforestation regulation is a first step with no alternative" for Renate Scheichelbauer-Schuster, Chairwoman of the WKÖ Trade and Crafts Division. For WKÖ Secretary General Karlheinz Kopf, "a final agreement between the Council and Parliament is now needed quickly." 

Horror among environmental organizations
Environmentalists are horrified. "For months, individual member states - above all Austria under ÖVP Agriculture Minister Totschnig - have blocked the implementation of the law," wrote Greenpeace spokesperson Ursula Bittner in a press statement. "Forests are our closest allies in the fight against the climate and species crisis. After today's vote, we face a law that exempts some countries without scrutiny, creating numerous loopholes."