EU deforestation regulation postponed, but UK government still has work to do
This week's announcement that the European Commission is to delay the implementation of the new EU deforestation regulation has been met with considerable relief in the UK beef sector. As we've spelled out previously, this could have been disastrous had it gone ahead on 30 December this year.
But it is only a delay. This new reporting requirement WILL happen and the UK government has been gifted a window of opportunity to properly prepare; something they have failed to do up to now.
BMPA together with the NFU and AHDB have already developed a practical, ready-made solution for demonstrating compliance that utilises existing traceability systems. Nick Allen explains that BMPA "stands ready to work collaboratively with government to ensure it works for both British companies and the European Commission.
“What we need from government is an acknowledgement that it is they, and they alone that can nominate a responsible government department and adopt a system for complying with the EUDR requirements."