FEDIOL, the association representing Europe’s vegetable oil and protein meal sector, recently co-signed a new industry letter urging the EU Commission and member states to provide urgent clarity and consistency on the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The group is calling on policymakers to provide transparent communication on the expected timeline, including whether amendments, delays or simplifications are under discussion.
FEDIOL also insists on practical, workable guidance to enable companies to prepare in a legally sound and commercially viable manner and demands harmonised enforcement so that FAQs and Commission guidance are interpreted consistently across all 27 countries in the EU.
Speaking to AgTechNavigator today, FEDIOL director general, Nathalie Lecocq, said the lack of legal certainty is one of the industry’s greatest challenges. “The top issues where better guidance is needed are legality requirements, the information system and the many operational details where industry is missing harmonised implementation.”
Without clear signals that what companies are doing is acceptable, operators are left in a costly and uncertain position, argued Lecocq.
Legality requirements remain a major sticking point. “We need clarity on the legislation that impacts the legal status of the area of production, the relevant laws in producing countries, and the evidence that must be provided.”
Without those elements, it is extremely difficult for operators to demonstrate compliance, she remarked.
Lack of harmonization
She added that the EU’s central information system was “not fit for operations in our supply chains” and described the lack of harmonization on key definitions, handling of siloed product flows and treatment of sensitive data as a real barrier to progress.
Despite these uncertainties, FEDIOL members have already poured significant resources into compliance efforts.
Investments have been substantial, Lecocq reported. “Companies are building new dedicated production lines, port facilities and storage to ensure segregation in supply chains. They are upgrading IT and ERP systems, buying monitoring data, engaging consultants, and hiring staff to manage the process.”
On top of that, they are paying premiums to growers and suppliers to secure raw materials that comply with the EUDR.
EUDR Simplified? What Regulatory Relaxation Really Means
The Animal AgTech Innovation Summit in Amsterdam on 16-17 October will address these issues and more in a session on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Jonathan Gorman, Technical Director, EFECA and UK Soy Sustainability Initiative, lead will faciliate a discussion on the regulation with leading experts: Verena Schuetz-Schwark, Head of Sustainability, WESTFLEISCH, Heleen van den Hombergh, Senior Expert Agro-Commodities, IUCN NL, and Juliana de Lavor Lopes, Sustainability Director, AMAGGI.
Register now to secure your place.
Bottlenecks to EUDR implementation
For the soy and palm oil sectors, some obstacles are proving especially acute. “Among the most striking bottlenecks are the requirement to keep product flows segregated, which can drastically limit available commodities; restrictions on sharing personal data such as geolocation, which are prohibited in some countries; and the difficulty of obtaining evidence of compliance from smallholders,” Lecocq said. “The overall complexity of the system is also inhibitory for small operators.”
Uneven enforcement
FEDIOL is equally concerned about uneven enforcement across the EU.
“The fragmentation of enforcement is a real issue which we have been raising numerous times with the Commission and also at national level,” Lecocq warned. “The extensive FAQs and guidance documents that have been issued are not legally binding. Competent authorities may not follow them, for different reasons, even when they come directly from the Commission.”
Legal certainty
Looking ahead, Lecocq argued that the legality element of the regulation requires a rethink.
“The current approach, which asks operators to identify applicable local legislation, obtain evidence that these laws are implemented, and verify compliance, makes it very difficult to achieve adequate legal certainty,” she said. “We need to go beyond voluntary approaches in producing countries. Public authorities in those countries must be involved through partnerships or a redesign of the Regulation.”
