A group of 11 European Union countries is pressuring the European Commission to delay and soften the bloc’s landmark deforestation law, warning that current requirements are too burdensome for farmers and foresters, according to a document seen by Reuters.
The European Union is facing renewed calls to scale back its pioneering anti-deforestation regulation, as 11 member states—including Austria, Luxembourg, Italy, and Finland—have urged the European Commission to simplify and postpone the law’s implementation once again.
The policy, set to take effect in December 2025 after a previous delay, aims to curb the EU’s role in global deforestation by requiring companies to prove that key imports—such as soy, beef, palm oil, cocoa, and coffee—are not linked to forest destruction. Firms failing to comply could face fines of up to 4% of their EU turnover.
In a joint paper addressed to EU agriculture ministers, the governments argued that the current requirements remain “disproportionate” and “nearly impossible to implement,” especially for small-scale farmers and foresters. They proposed introducing a new “very low risk” category of countries that would be exempt from strict due diligence and customs checks.
Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, and Slovenia also signed the paper, which will be discussed at an agriculture ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Monday.
The Commission has already watered down the regulation in response to backlash from global trade partners like Brazil and the U.S., and earlier this month announced that most countries would avoid the law’s strictest checks. A spokesperson for the Commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed strong support for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while congratulating the country on its Independence Day.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta to discuss strengthening defence cooperation and mining partnerships between the two countries.
SpaceX's latest Starship launch from Texas ended in an uncontrolled spin before completing key mission goals, highlighting fresh challenges for Elon Musk’s ambitious Mars program.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has moved to terminate all remaining federal contracts with Harvard University, directing agencies to review and possibly reallocate contracts worth approximately $100 million.
French police arrest 24 over kidnapping plots targeting crypto figures
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed strong support for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while congratulating the country on its Independence Day.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta to discuss strengthening defence cooperation and mining partnerships between the two countries.
SpaceX's latest Starship launch from Texas ended in an uncontrolled spin before completing key mission goals, highlighting fresh challenges for Elon Musk’s ambitious Mars program.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has moved to terminate all remaining federal contracts with Harvard University, directing agencies to review and possibly reallocate contracts worth approximately $100 million.
French police arrest 24 over kidnapping plots targeting crypto figures
AnewZ takes to the streets of Yerevan and Baku to ask a simple yet deeply complex question: How do you see peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan? In the first part of our special report, we hear the hopes, doubts, and scars still shaping people’s perspectives on both sides.
Anton Kobyakov, adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin, claimed at the St. Petersburg International Legal Forum that the USSR’s dissolution was legally invalid and that the Soviet Union still exists under constitutional law, framing the Ukraine war as an “internal process.”
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
Kyiv faced a large-scale Russian drone and missile assault overnight, with explosions and gunfire echoing throughout the city, forcing residents to shelter in subway stations.
In a region long defined by conflict and complex history, AnewZ set out to hear the voices that matter most- those of the people.
UK coastal waters are experiencing record-breaking temperatures, up to 4°C above average, in what experts call a “super intense” marine heatwave — a possible harbinger of extreme summer weather ahead.
Republicans are hailing President Donald Trump’s newly passed tax legislation as a historic cut—but buried within it is a federal fee hike for electric and hybrid vehicles that critics say punishes clean energy consumers and risks stalling EV progress.
A California homeowner cut ties with his gas utility by converting his water heater into a thermal battery - slashing emissions, lowering bills, and storing energy at home.
Energy giants from Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam have signed a landmark agreement to explore exporting Vietnamese offshore wind power across borders, marking a major step toward Southeast Asia’s green energy transition.
A new report warns that six of Europe's staple food imports—cocoa, coffee, wheat, maize, rice, and soy—face rising threats from climate change and biodiversity loss, putting the continent's food security and economy at risk.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed strong support for Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while congratulating the country on its Independence Day.
French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto in Jakarta to discuss strengthening defence cooperation and mining partnerships between the two countries.
SpaceX's latest Starship launch from Texas ended in an uncontrolled spin before completing key mission goals, highlighting fresh challenges for Elon Musk’s ambitious Mars program.
U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has moved to terminate all remaining federal contracts with Harvard University, directing agencies to review and possibly reallocate contracts worth approximately $100 million.
French police arrest 24 over kidnapping plots targeting crypto figures
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