EUDR: Welcoming the 1-Year Phase-In Period – Pietro PaganiniThe European Commission has finally announced the publication of guidelines and proposed an additional 12-month phasing-in period to ensure a proper and effective implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This decision addresses both the demands of many producers to delay the regulation and our request at Competere.eu to introduce a two-year transition period.
EUDR: Welcoming the 1-Year Phase-In Period
The Commission’s decision to introduce a one-year phase-in period, as I suggested at the end of August in a letter to the European Commission, is a positive step towards ensuring the regulation meets its goals. This is good news for businesses, which now have more time to adapt to the new rules.
Just a month ago, we at Competere submitted a proposal to the European Commission advocating for a transitional phase to allow all stakeholders to gradually adjust to the regulation. Our proposal included the establishment of a Standing Committee, with specific working groups for each commodity involved, to facilitate continuous information exchange and effective monitoring of the regulation’s implementation. We also recommended a temporary suspension of penalties during the transition phase while maintaining the controls provided by the EUDR.
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Now, the Commission has called on the European Parliament and the Council to adopt the proposal for an extended implementation period by the end of the year. In the meantime, the Commission, competent authorities in EU member states – including Italy – businesses, and governments of producing countries must act swiftly to ensure effective implementation without further delays or additional costs for consumers.
I support the goals of the EUDR but continue to offer constructive criticism of its “one-size-fits-all” approach and the lack of multilateral dialogue with producing countries and industries. This dialogue is a crucial element for such an ambitious project, which involves highly complex global supply chains.
