Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The EU Deforestation Regulation 2023/1115 (EUDR) entered into force on 28^th June 2023. It replaces the EU Timber Regulation 995/2010 which has been in operation since 2014 and its key provisions will enter into application on 30^th December 2024. The main aims of this regulation are threefold:

• To ensure that the listed products do not contribute to deforestation and forest degradation.
• To reduce carbon emissions caused by EU consumption and production of the relevant commodities.
• To address the deforestation and forest degradation that is driven by the agricultural expansion, which produces the relevant commodities.

The deputy may be aware that there are seven relevant commodities – cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy and wood and some of their derived products such as leather, chocolate, tyres and printed paper.

The new regulation will set mandatory obligations for operators and traders to ensure that compliant products are:

1. deforestation free

2. have been produced in accordance with the relevant legislation of the country of production and

3. covered by a due diligence statement.

The regulation will enter into application on 30^th December 2024. For small and micro enterprises this date is extended to 30^th June 2025.

My Department participates in the Multi-stakeholder Platform on Deforestation, which meets at regular intervals at which the EU Commission, Third Countries, Member States and Stakeholder organisations are all represented. Various issues that arise in preparation for the Regulation becoming operational are discussed at this forum. My Department has also met commodity specific representative organisations.

My Department is currently examining the staffing and resources required to implement the regulation. My Department already carries out a wide range of checks and controls in relation to a number of commodities and we will use existing systems and resources where possible. It should be noted that deforestation is not a significant issue in Ireland and commodities produced here will be deforestation free.