European trade policy has a role to play in the fight against deforestation, said MEPs from the Committee on International Trade and the European Commission in a debate on Tuesday 24 September.
“When looking at deforestation embodied in total final consumption, the EU consumption represents around 10% of the global share”, with the expansion of agricultural land being responsible for 80% of this global deforestation, says a Commission communication aimed at combating global deforestation (see EUROPE 12302/1).
However, it states that the EU's action will only be effective through multilateral cooperation with its trading partners, both producers and consumers.
The Commission proposes to use both regulatory and non-regulatory instruments to simultaneously influence supply and demand: – by supporting, on the one hand, the private sector, by facilitating the supply of certified wood products (such as FLEGT) (see EUROPE 12212/26); – by encouraging European consumers to reduce their carbon footprint and consume “deforestation-free”.
These ideas can only be realised if supply chain transparency initiatives, as well as a better assessment of the impact of EU consumption, are implemented.
Range of commercial tools
Among the relevant trade policy instruments in this fight, comprehensive free trade agreements (FTAs) include provisions such as the non-regression clause, which freezes the possibility for parties to lower their environmental standards, as well as chapters on sustainable development, the provisions of which are binding on the parties.
The EU's trade defence instruments are now making it possible to combat environmental dumping (see EUROPE 12036/15).
According to Madelaine Tuininga of the Directorate-General for Trade, the EU can still “green” its trade policy by adopting non-discriminatory unilateral measures, preserving the so-called “general exception” clause, a principle that will also have to be respected if a carbon tax at borders were indeed to be introduced. (Original version in French by Hermine Donceel)