Mondelēz urges one-year delay to EU Deforestation Regulation amid “lack of clarity”

Mondelēz International is calling for a 12-month delay to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) but stresses it is “not to dilute ambition, but to enable practical, inclusive, and effective implementation.”

While the chocolate giant does back the new regulation, Massimiliano Di Domenico, VP of corporate and government affairs for Europe at Mondelēz International, says, “We cannot afford to compromise long-term sustainability goals with the many short-term implementation gaps and lack of clarity.”

“We fully support the ambition of the EUDR and are very active with clear and ambitious objectives, but successful implementation must reflect on-the-ground realities, especially for smallholder farmers in the countries of origin.” 

Meeting the requirements of EUDR

Mondelēz has been working for over a decade to drive change in cocoa-growing countries through its Cocoa Life program, which has reached over 230,000 farmers and is backed by more than US$1 billion through 2030. 

However, to deliver a real impact on the ground, the EUDR regulation must be workable, not just in principle but also in practice.

“In Côte d’Ivoire, one of the EU’s key cocoa suppliers, there are over one million cocoa farmers, yet fewer than one in five have received the traceability ID cards required under the EUDR,”says Di Domenico. 

“These cards will also need to be reissued again by year-end. Without more time to build systems on the ground, compliant cocoa risks being shut out of the EU — harming farmers, increasing costs for businesses, and disrupting supply chains.” 

More time needed

Di Domenico stresses that the cocoa sector is under huge pressure, with soaring prices, declining production, and origin countries still scaling up digital capacity, which has clear implications for the whole value chain. 

“That’s why we are respectfully, transparently, and responsibly calling for a 12-month delay — not to dilute ambition, but to enable practical, inclusive, and effective implementation. In other words, to ensure the final objective of this important regulation will be met in practice in full.” 

“Given Europe imports over 50% of the world’s cocoa beans and accounts for 75% of global chocolate sales, the stakes are high. With the sector already facing record prices and supply shortages, further regulatory barriers could undermine the competitiveness of a €70 billion (US$82 billion) industry, at a time when the EU needs to step up its focus on global competitiveness and economic resilience.”

 “That’s why we strongly believe there is a need for a further delay on the EUDR.” 

“Let’s take the time to get it right — for the environment, and future generations. We must also keep Europe competitive, a shared responsibility across institutions, businesses, and stakeholders. We’re fully committed to working together to make the EUDR a success.” 

Indonesian palm oil producers

Following last week’s proposed EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) change — which could see a fourth category, negligible risk, included in the regulation — Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs says this change would discriminate against cocoa, coffee, and palm oil producers outside of the bloc. 

Arif Havas Oegroseno was making the comments at a palm oil stakeholder forum event in Jakarta.

The minister also spoke about the negligible risk category proposal: “This negligible risk only applies to European Union farmers. If this is accepted, it clearly constitutes discrimination,  different treatment that applies to farmers outside Europe.”