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.
Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 13 June, covering the latest developments you need to know....
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Every June, roughly 13 million young people in China sit down at the same time to take the same test. They have been preparing for it, in many cases, ...
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Start your day informed with the AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top stories for 13 June, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The U.S.-Iran peace deal won't be signed on Sunday, Iranian spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has said. His statement appears to contradict mediator, Pakistan, whose Prime Minister earlier said an agreement between Washington and Tehran would be signed within 24 hours.
As the 2026 World Cup kicked off on 11 June across North America, U.S. visa restrictions and travel policies have made it impossible for supporters, football officials and even a FIFA-appointed referee to attend. It's raised a lot of questions about access to such a high-profile global event.
Every June, roughly 13 million young people in China sit down at the same time to take the same test. They have been preparing for it, in many cases, since primary school. Their families have rearranged their lives around it.
SpaceX has made history with the largest initial public offering ever in the United States, pricing its shares at $135 each and achieving a market valuation of $1.77 trillion.
SpaceX made a historic entrance into the Nasdaq on Friday, surging over 20% in its first day of trading and lifting its valuation to more than $2 trillion. Investors flocked to the world’s largest IPO, betting on Elon Musk’s sprawling empire spanning rockets, AI and beyond.
Pakistan has warned that any attempt by India to block or significantly reduce river flows under the Indus Waters Treaty could have “far-reaching consequences”, after India's water minister said New Delhi was working to ensure that “not a single drop” of water reaches Pakistan in the coming years.
While France hosts next week’s Group of Seven summit, businesses in neighbouring Switzerland have already begun taking precautions, with many shops in Geneva boarded up ahead of a large anti-G7 demonstration expected on Sunday.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk have criticised Britain, France and Germany for leaving them out of talks with Russia about a potential future peace deal for Ukraine.
France’s parliament has formally recognised state responsibility for the use of the toxic pesticide chlordecone in Martinique and Guadeloupe, marking a significant step in addressing decades of environmental contamination and public health concerns.
Financial markets are significantly underestimating the economic impact of biodiversity loss, potentially leaving countries exposed to sovereign debt crises and rising borrowing costs, according to new research published on Friday.
Wildlife researchers have identified dozens of previously unknown insect species during an expedition to Angola’s remote Lisima Plateau, a conservation group announced on Wednesday.
Global weather forecasters predict a strong El Niño will develop in the second half of 2026, bringing hotter, drier conditions to much of Asia while increasing rainfall in parts of North and South America.
Google has asked U.S. regulators for permission to release up to 32 million sterilised mosquitoes in California and Florida as part of its experimental “Debug” programme aimed at reducing populations of disease-carrying insects.
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