Regarding the digital platform for due diligence statements on deforestation

Priority question for written answer P-001827/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Beatrice Timgren (ECR)

Czechia has recently joined Austria, Finland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia and Sweden in urging the Commission to delay the implementation of new legislation on deforestation[1] because of concerns that the new deforestation rules may be difficult to implement and could have unintended negative consequences for both EU and international stakeholders[2].

In light of this, the following questions arise:

• 1.Given the reported doubts about whether the Commission's digital platform for uploading due diligence statements will be ready and have sufficient capacity by the deadline set in the regulation, will the Commission reconsider delaying implementation? If not, what specific reasons justify moving forward despite the concerns?
• 2.What concrete measures is the Commission implementing to reduce the administrative burden and minimise the bureaucracy associated with the new deforestation regulation, particularly given the anticipated increase in inspections and reporting requirements for both EU farmers and international producers?
• 3.What specific steps will the Commission take to prevent the use of fake certificates and ensure that the benchmarking system for classifying countries by deforestation risk will be fully operational and effective by the date of the regulation's implementation, and what are the estimated costs of these steps?

Submitted: 26.9.2024

• [1] Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 (OJ L 150, 9.6.2023, p. 206, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1115/oj).
• [2] Jochecová, K., 'The EU's anti-deforestation law just won't work, says Czech farm chief', 4 September 2024, Politico, https://pro.politico.eu/news/185351.