US corporate lobbyists mounted ‘blitz’ to dilute landmark EU deforestation law, report finds
Environmental watchdog Mighty Earth reveals two-year effort to postpone and weaken EU Deforestation Regulation
TL;DR
- US corporate lobbyists engaged in a "blitz" to postpone and weaken the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
- Firms including Cargill, Bunge, and Mondelēz participated in over 350 meetings with EU officials.
- The EUDR prohibits imports of commodities like cattle, cocoa, coffee, and soy from deforested land.
- The law's implementation has been delayed twice, and its original goals have been revised.
- Lobbying efforts also involved US Congress, the Department of Agriculture, and the White House.
- A meeting between Donald Trump and Ursula von der Leyen resulted in a joint statement promising US special treatment regarding the EUDR.
- US organizations claim their engagement aimed to improve the regulation's implementation.
- Mighty Earth calls for greater transparency in EU lobbying activities.