The document comes at a crucial moment in the EU debate, shortly after the launch of Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies by the European Commission, which established the European Union's ambition to support a global transition towards sustainable agri-food systems. In this context, fighting global deforestation and reducing the EU contribution to it are key challenges that the EU grain and oil trade and the feed industry fully share.

In their joint document, the three associations describe what an EU regulatory framework should provide to bring about real change on the ground. This begins with the recognition of the positive transformation generated by voluntary activities in the last decade and with the need to guarantee a coordinated commitment of the EU and the Member States to countries where deforestation risks arise. The establishment of an EU regulatory framework in addition to that should lead to overall sustainable transformation.

"The path to deforestation-free supply chains along the EU's ambitious goals involves a careful balance of EU actions and measures undertaken in partnership with producer countries to be effective at source" - declares John Grossmann, President of FEDIOL. "As such, operators must have a smart toolbox that defines clear goals in a phased approach and recognizes the disparities between different supply chains."

FEFAC President Nick Major states: “The EU food industry has been proactive in promoting the transformation of the core market for responsible soy sourcing based on its guidelines first issued in 2015. According to our risk assessment, approximately 80% of the soy used by the food industry originates from areas with low risk of deforestation. In 2019, over 10 million tonnes of soybean (i.e. almost 50%) in food equivalent used by the EU food industry was produced in accordance with responsible soy schemes compared by ITC with the guidelines for FEFAC. FEFAC plans to adopt a new deforestation-free approach in the second version of our guidelines, which we will launch before the end of 2020. This means that the EU food industry is on the right track to meet market and societal demands regarding liability and deforestation. free supply chains. "

For Philippe Mitko, President of COCERAL: “Stopping deforestation is a complex challenge. Because protecting the world's ecosystems is vital, measures to increase supply chains without deforestation must be sustainable in the long term. Therefore, we must take the time to find balanced solutions that protect forests, ensure the livelihood of farmers in producer countries, and deliver affordable food to consumers. ”

All three sectors will continue to share their experience and actively participate with the EU institutions to find effective solutions to the global fight against deforestation.