EU delays anti-deforestation law to Dec 2025, easing trade concerns but sparking criticism over its green agenda setback.
European Union countries on Tuesday gave their final approval to delay the bloc's anti-deforestation law by 12 months, allowing the postponement to now pass into law, the Council of the EU said in a statement.
The sign-off from governments finalises a December 2025 start date for the EU's policy to ban the import of soy, beef, coffee, palm oil and other goods linked to the destruction of forests - which had originally been designed to apply this month.
The delay to the world-first deforestation policy is a blow to the EU's green agenda, which is facing pushback from industries and some governments that say EU measures to fight climate change are too onerous.
But it offers relief to companies and EU trading partners including the United States and Brazil, which oppose the policy and warn it will upend trade as many firms struggle to comply.
The EU law, initially due to take effect from Dec. 30, 2024, will require companies and traders also placing wood, cocoa, rubber and some derived products like chocolate and furniture onto the EU market to provide proof their supply chain does not contribute to deforestation, or face fines and potentially have their products turned away.
Companies exporting commodities from Europe would face the same obligations.
A new survey shows that trust in the European Union is at its highest level since 2007, with more than half of Europeans (52%) saying they trust the EU.
The EU is poised to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 54% by 2030—just 1% short of its legally binding 55% target—thanks to stronger national climate policies, according to the European Commission’s latest review.
The European Union has proposed setting up a special hub to strengthen security and surveillance in the Black Sea, a region seen as increasingly at risk due to ongoing Russian aggression.
The EU and UAE have commenced talks on a bilateral free trade agreement, aiming to enhance trade in goods, services, and strategic sectors, marking a significant milestone in EU-Gulf relations.
The European Council has enacted legal measures to lift nearly all economic sanctions on Syria, formalizing the political decision announced on May 20, 2025.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated Pakistan’s enduring support for United Nations peacekeeping operations, highlighting the country’s historic contributions and calling for renewed international resolve to strengthen peacekeeping efforts in a rapidly evolving global security landscape.
China on Friday defended its recent export control measures on rare earth elements, insisting the restrictions are in line with international norms and not directed at any specific country.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF)-backed project, “Strengthening Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Iraq” (SRVALI), was officially launched on the sidelines of the 5th Baghdad International Water Conference.
Federal authorities have arrested 14 suspects in Los Angeles linked to an Armenian organized crime ring accused of stealing $30 million in COVID relief and Small Business loans intended to support American taxpayers.
Banksy has returned with a mysterious new artwork—this time, possibly in France—and fans are buzzing with theories.
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.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
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.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
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.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF)-backed project, “Strengthening Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Iraq” (SRVALI), was officially launched on the sidelines of the 5th Baghdad International Water Conference.
A staggering 4 billion people—half of the world’s population—experienced at least 30 additional days of extreme heat over the past year due to human-induced climate change, a new international study revealed Friday.
The next five years are likely to be the warmest in recorded history, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), as rising global temperatures push the planet closer to surpassing key climate thresholds with wide-ranging consequences.
A seabird chick found with 778 plastic pieces inside its body on a remote island between Australia and New Zealand has become a powerful symbol of the global plastic pollution crisis. Scientists say the plastic has caused chronic illness and cognitive decline in the bird, raising urgent concerns abo
Tajikistan is hosting the International Conference on Glacier Preservation from May 29 to June 1, 2025, in Dushanbe, aiming to highlight the urgent need to halt glacial retreat and elevate the issue on the global climate agenda.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reiterated Pakistan’s enduring support for United Nations peacekeeping operations, highlighting the country’s historic contributions and calling for renewed international resolve to strengthen peacekeeping efforts in a rapidly evolving global security landscape.
China on Friday defended its recent export control measures on rare earth elements, insisting the restrictions are in line with international norms and not directed at any specific country.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF)-backed project, “Strengthening Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Iraq” (SRVALI), was officially launched on the sidelines of the 5th Baghdad International Water Conference.
Federal authorities have arrested 14 suspects in Los Angeles linked to an Armenian organized crime ring accused of stealing $30 million in COVID relief and Small Business loans intended to support American taxpayers.
Banksy has returned with a mysterious new artwork—this time, possibly in France—and fans are buzzing with theories.
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