The German Minister for Agriculture, Alois Rainer of the CSU, has welcomed the recent postponement of the EU’s regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR). Rainer described the Commission’s initial proposal as “absolutely correct” in a statement released Tuesday.
While affirming his full support for the EUDR’s core objectives-global forest protection- Rainer highlighted concerns about the potential for excessive bureaucracy. He stated that the regulation, as initially drafted, imposed a disproportionate administrative burden on countries like Germany, despite the absence of deforestation within its borders.
The minister has repeatedly advocated for the introduction of a “zero-risk” variant within the EUDR framework. He explained that due to delays from the Commission, a postponement became necessary to facilitate the inclusion of this alternative approach.
“The time gained must now be used to effectively integrate the zero-risk variant into the regulation, ensuring continued global forest protection while safeguarding our economy from unnecessary restrictions” Rainer noted. He committed to continuing his efforts in Brussels to achieve this outcome.