Indonesia pushes for global palm oil standards to counter EU Deforestation Law

European Union has created its own standards without any alternative benchmark. So, we must create our own benchmark outside the EU. We need to establish national or international standards under platforms like CPOPC, BRICS, and FAO,” Arif told the Bioenergy Industry Opportunities and Challenges Seminar in Jakarta on Thursday, July 17, 2025. Indonesia’s initiative has gained traction within the BRICS bloc, where member countries agreed to oppose the EUDR and support the creation of sustainable vegetable oil trade standards. These standards will be developed at a minilateral level and involve the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) for regional implementation and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for global-level standardization. Arif emphasized Indonesia’s role as a leading global vegetable oil producer and exporter, saying the country must be proactive in setting its own trade standards. An initial discussion with FAO on sustainable vegetable oil trade will ...