Indonesia responds to EU forests regulation public consultation

In Indonesia, the Indonesian Palm Oil Association (GAPKI) made its submission to the EU Forests Regulation public consultation on reducing deforestation and forest degradation and is not supporting their position because it will affect the palm oil industry, disrupt trade between EU and Indonesia and undermine the recent signing of an EU-ASEAN Strategic Partnership.

As background, the European Commission is proposing a Due Diligence regulation to tackle deforestation / forest degradation with the aim to prevent European imports and consumption ‘causing’ deforestation, particularly from tropical forests, according to GAPKI.

“To be clear: the Indonesian palm oil community broadly supports policies to prevent deforestation, and believes that this should take place with enforcement and compliance at the domestic level. An indirect measure that curbs trade and exports from developing countries to the European Union – such as a unilateral EU regulation – will not stop deforestation, and will instead undermine efforts to combat it.”