'The EU regulation on deforestation-free supply chains (EUDR) threatens to cause significant disruptions for forestry, wood, and agricultural businesses within the European Union,' explains the association for the German wood industry (Hauptverband der Deutschen Holzindustrie, HDH). Several EU member states have therefore taken the initiative and advocate for urgently needed adjustments to the regulation in Brussels. The HDH calls on Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir to join the initiative.
'Contrary to common belief, the current form of the EUDR not only affects the import of goods but also directly impacts companies producing within the European Union, notably those in the forestry, wood, and agricultural sectors. Therefore, the EUDR also concerns the provision of domestic products. It is particularly concerning that nearly a year after the regulation was passed, there are still no concrete guidelines from Brussels for implementation.'
HDH President Johannes Schwörer. Photo: HDH / Ausserhofer.
HDH President Johannes Schwörer thus urges Minister Özdemir to support the current proposal by several EU member states regarding the EUDR. The signatory ministers from Austria, Finland, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden, and Slovakia, among others, call on the EU Commission to postpone the implementation of the EUDR and to revise the regulation.
'The current situation shows that Brussels apparently does not know itself how the implementation of the EUDR can sensibly occur without causing severe harm to the domestic economy in the EU. Previous experiences show that the EUDR urgently needs to be postponed, and we also need changes to the EU regulation,' explains Schwörer. The fact that the initiative to amend the regulation comes from EU member states with extensive experience in sustainable forest management and a well-functioning wood industry is particularly significant.
Earlier, all federal states' ministers of agriculture had already called on Federal Minister of Agriculture Özdemir to conduct a risk assessment of the planned EU regulation and to advocate for adjustments to prevent avoidable bureaucratic burdens at the EU level.
Functioning forestry and wood industry benefits climate protection
'Not only do all forestry ministers of the federal states see, but other EU countries as well, that the EU Commission has completely overextended itself with the deforestation regulation. Not only is the digital platform for managing the highly complex reporting requirements not being completed on time. The supervisory authorities' control efforts are increasing so much that they are now sounding the alarm massively,' explains Schwörer and emphasises: 'No hectare of forest can be secured if we impose such bureaucratic constraints on ourselves in Europe. On the contrary, the current form of the EUDR would very likely lead to forest owners withdrawing from the market in Germany and a decrease in the supply of wood. Minister Özdemir must be aware that a well-functioning forestry and wood industry has a significant impact on achieving German climate protection goals. Therefore, it cannot be in the interest of the federal government to hinder the domestic forestry and wood industry in this way,' warns the HDH president.
More information:
HDH
www.holzindustrie.de
