« We, companies committed to the zero-deforestation objective and united within the coalition Alliance for the Preservation of Forests, welcome the European Commission’s Communication on Stepping up EU action to protect and restore world’s forests. We share the objectives of the European Commission to minimise the EU’s contribution to deforestation and forest degradation worldwide and promote the consumption of products from deforestation-free supply chains in the EU.
We support a European legislation to fight against imported deforestation. This EU legislation should be based on a mandatory due diligence approach, aiming to ensure that products imported into Europe are free from deforestation and human rights violations.
Such an EU legal framework should be in line with the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, as well as OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Business Conduct.
This regulation must apply to all operators bringing products on the European market, allowing alignment of standards and avoid unfair competition between companies.
We also call for enhancing the implementation of no-deforestation commitments by businesses while supporting partner countries to strengthen governance, regulation and enable economic development and rural livelihoods.
In this regard, we encourage the European Commission to draw from the model of the French Duty of Vigilance Law, which together with the French Strategy to stop imported deforestation, represents a big step forward for industry and society. Concerted public-private action has the potential to enhance sustainability in supply chains and promote the effective preservation of the planet’s resources. »