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demanded that geo-coordinates be required along the entire PickPik
supply chain”.
GD Holz also say that “asked what kind of checks
downstream non-SME market participants have to carry out
if they purchase products affected by the EUDR within the
EU, the EC has clarified that such checks must not relate
to individual deliveries, but to the general application of the
EUDR by the supplier.
To this end, the due diligence system applied by the
supplier must be reviewed, e.g. in the form of regular audits.
This means that, as a rule, only rudimentary information
(e.g. reference number, tree species, country of felling) and by a qualified majority at the Council is 65%).
information on the due diligence system used must be passed The law requires that EU countries restore at least 30
on. If the customer determines that there is a high risk in percent of habitats covered by the law from poor to good
individual cases, further data may be requested”. condition by 2030, and 90 percent by 2050. The regulated
While the EC is making concessions to internal suppliers habitats include forests alongside grasslands, wetlands, rivers
on the issue of traceability and geolocations, GD Holz implies and lakes. Member states must also ensure that these areas
that the EC is less inclined to make concessions to suppliers do not deteriorate once restored.
outside the EU. The final text watered down some of the requirements for
GD Holz note that “another important issue that we have the farming sector, particularly by introducing an “emergency
raised with the EU is imports from countries that currently brake” so targets affecting agriculture can be suspended
make it difficult to share geo-coordinates. The best-known “under exceptional circumstances” that threaten food security.
example of this is China, which prohibits the disclosure of In practical terms for European forests, the law will require
coordinates for security reasons. Member States to introduce critical safeguards to protect
The EU has succinctly informed us that there have been remaining old-growth forests, set aside additional forests for
discussions on this topic with the Chinese government and restoration, and improve the biodiversity of forests managed
suppliers. It was made clear that imports without coordinates for wood production.
were not possible and that there would be no exceptions for In a report drawing on analysis of satellite data, the World
countries such as China. No statements were made about Resources Institute (WRI) shows why the Nature Restoration
attempts to solve this problem”. Law is so timely, despite Europe’s total tree cover having
increased slightly over the last two decades.
EU adopts new Nature Restoration law According to WRI, “Europe’s forests face increasing
Following a final vote on 17 June at the Environmental Council, pressures. Impacts include fewer tall forests, climate change-
the EU adopted its new European Restoration Regulation. induced wildfires, insect outbreaks, and, most recently,
This legislation is the first to set legally binding restoration increased wood harvesting to meet additional demand for
targets for the long-term recovery of nature in Europe. The ‘home-grown’ biomass in response to the Ukraine war and
law passed with a narrow majority of 20 countries representing changing energy demands” FDM
66 percent of the EU’s population (the threshold for approval ENQUIRY NO. 4101

