In an interview with Euronews, the outgoing European Commissioner for Environment, Ocean and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius said that he finds very ‘difficult’ to understand why the position on the deforestation law has changed significantly after its approval.
Two years ago, the EU adopted a ground-breaking deforestation law, set to take effect in January, aiming to ban imports of products linked to forest loss, such as coffee, soy, timber, and cocoa.
The regulation requires suppliers to certify that their goods are not sourced from areas that were recently stripped of woods to make way for farms and plantations.
While supported by environmental groups and left-leaning politicians, it has faced opposition from governments, trading partners, and conservative MEPs, who argue it could disrupt supply chains, increase prices, and add administrative burdens.
Despite this, the European Commission has stood by its original deadline.
How serious is the backlash against deforestation? Is the recoil another sign that the EU’s Green Deal is under threat? Will conservative governments continue to oppose laws linked to the Green Deal’s implementation?
Today Radio Schuman answers these questions with Virginijus Sinkevičius, outgoing European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries.
There is also the agenda for this weekend, with the Austrian parliamentary elections a major event to keep an eye on.
And finally, we’ll reveal Europe’s top tax havens — spoiler alert: it’s not the same place for everyone.
Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Zacharia Vigneron and music by Alexandre Jas.
