Authority Prepares Nat’l Action Plan for Implementation of EU Deforestation-free Products Regulation 

Addis Ababa February 1/2024 (ENA) A consultative meeting on the National Action Plan for the implementation of Compliance Measures on European Union Deforestation-free Products Regulation (EUDR) was held today.

Under the EU regulation, any operator or trader who places commodities like cattle, soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, coffee, rubber on the EU market or exports from it must be able to prove that the products do not originate from recently deforested land or contributed to forest degradation.

The Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority has prepared a three-year National Action Plan for the implementation of Compliance Measures on European Union Deforestation-free Products Regulation in collaboration with ministries of Finance and Agriculture. 

Opening the consultative meeting on the action plan today, Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority Director-General Adugna Debela said adjustment to the EU regulation is crucial as Ethiopia’s coffee export to European Union member countries accounts about 30 percent.

According to him, the regulation creates opportunity to revise polices and make them suit with other international policies, strengthen organizational structures and sustainable coffee production system, among others. 

It is also an additional driver and opportunity to further continue the nation’s magnificent Green Legacy Initiative, which has been successfully implemented for the past five years, Adugna said. 

The objective of the national action plan tabled for discussion is to create awareness among  stakeholders along all the value chains to work together.  

The European Union Deforestation-free Products Regulation has entered into force effective December 30, 2024, it was learned.

Many countries around the world have made significant efforts over the past decade to reduce deforestation, for example by introducing moratoria or measures to improve transparency in the supply chain.

Yet, deforestation and forest degradation continue at an alarming rate contributing more than 10 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.