The Environment Committee of the European Parliament debates with Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, about the proposed new legislation that the European Parliament called for in order to stop EU-driven global deforestation and forest degradation by obliging companies placing products on the EU market to carry out due diligence. Extracts from the exchange of views and statement by rapporteur Delara BURKHARDT (S&D,DE).

deforestation

ENVIRONMENT (52)

BURKHARDT, Delara (S&D, DE)

SINKEVIČIUS, Virginijus (Greens/EFA, LT)

forest protection (T)

European Parliament's legislative proposal to reduce the risk of deforestation/forest degradation: extracts from exchange between ENVI Committee and Virginijus Sinkevičius Commissioner for Environment, statement by rapporteur Delara BURKHARDT (S&D,DE

SOUNDBITE (English), Delara BURKHARDT (S&amp;D, DE), ...

Cutaways : general view of the room and arrival of Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries (4 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVI&#268;IUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, What the Commission adopted yesterday is the most ambitious demand side initiative to curb deforestation and forest degradation ever put forward anywhere in the world. The regulation we propose will make a significant contribution to protecting 4 billion hectares of forest from degradation and from conversion to agricultural land.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVI&#268;IUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Our objective is to curb deforestation and forest gradation provoked by the EU consumption. This should reduce greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. What we propose is based on a full analysis of the Parliament resolution of 22nd October 2020 and its recommendations for a legal framework to halt and reverse EU driven global deforestation.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVI&#268;IUS, Virginijus SINKEVI&#268;IUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, The initiative targets not just illegal deforestation, but all deforestation driven by agricultural expansion.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVI&#268;IUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, There will be no ban against any country or any commodity. Deforestation free producers, even from high risk areas, will continue to be able to sell their products to the EU if they can demonstrate that their products comply with the requirements of the regulation. As we said, what we propose is a groundbreaking initiative. It means the EU is taking the lead and inspiring others to stronger action.

Cutaways: general view of the meeting room, arrival and cutaways of Delara BURKHARDT (S&amp;D, DE) (5 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Delara BURKHARDT (S&amp;D, DE), Right now, forests are cut down to make space to produce commodities like soy, palm oil, cocoa, coffee, rubber and also for the European consumption. So we know that we as Europeans right now, when we buy products like coffee or cocoa, we contribute to deforestation. This needs to stop. Right now, there is no framework that will stop it. So we need to act.

SOUNDBITE (English), Delara BURKHARDT (S&amp;D, DE), What will happen is that companies that are working with commodities that are often related to the destruction of forests, they have to make sure that their products in the supply chain did not contribute to deforestation, to ecosystem conversion and to human rights violations. And if they even have to go further, they have to mitigate this risk before it occurs to make sure they have an access to the European market.

SOUNDBITE (English), Delara BURKHARDT (S&amp;D, DE), We see that a lot of people care about not contributing when buying products like cocoa, coffee, not contributing to deforestation. And we saw that with this consultation, we had over one million people participating, also backing up the demands of the European Parliament to have a legal framework that makes sure that we don't contribute, contribute to the deforestation with our way of consumption and production.

Cutaways of Delara BURKHARDT (S&amp;D, DE) (1 shot)