28 Apr 2023 --- The European Parliament’s decision to adopt a new law to fight global deforestation has been welcomed by major industry players like Nestlé and Barry Callebaut as a positive step toward high-quality, sustainable food systems, but also left smallholder farmers fearing for their livelihoods. The regulation requires companies to ensure products sold in the EU have not led to deforestation or forest degradation. Suppliers of commodities including cocoa, coffee, palm oil and soya, and products that contain these ingredients like chocolate, must provide a “due diligence” statement confirming that their products have not come from deforested land since 2021.
