LatinNews Daily - 24 November 2021 |
BRAZIL: Soya producers slam EU deforestation law |
On 23 November, the Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Soja (Aprosoja), an organisation representing soya producers in Brazil, released a statement slamming new legislation proposed by the European Union (EU) which seeks to ban imports linked to deforestation as “trade protectionism dressed up as environmental concern”. Analysis: The European Commission presented a law on 17 November which would set mandatory due diligence rules for importers of soya, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, and coffee (as well as some derived products such as chocolate), in an attempt to stop imports linked to deforestation. The EU framed this as an important step towards meeting the pledge made at the COP26 climate summit to end deforestation by 2030 – a pledge also signed by Brazil, which has even brought forward its own zero deforestation target to 2028. Yet Aprosoja’s strongly worded response to the EU provides further evidence that this pledge is little more than empty words on Brazil’s part.
Looking Ahead: Both the EU’s proposed legislation (which must be passed by member states) and the reaction to it in Brazil could further impact the stalled trade agreement between the EU and the Southern Common Market (Mercosur); the deal is yet to be ratified amid an ongoing impasse over Mercosur countries’ – and notably Brazil’s – environmental commitments. |