The European Cocoa Association calls for EUDR deforestation law delay

The European Cocoa Association (ECA) has joined a growing chorus of calls for the EUDR regulations surrounding deforestation within supply chains to be pushed back in its implementation, reports Neill Barston. In an open letter to the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, the organisation asserted that the region could ‘not afford to fall behind and lose its competitive edge’ in its work on climate neutrality, with considerable concerns remaining over the legislation’s detailed delivery. It follow a similar call to the EU Commission leader from the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who called on her to agree a delay to the scheme’s implementation that is planned for the end of December. Furthermore, a number of countries including Malaysia, Indonesia and Brazil, as well as cocoa trade associations in Ivory Coast, have all made similar pleas over fears that that the new regulations – which place mandatory controls on companies proving that they are ‘deforestation ...