202 Amendments of Monika BEŇOVÁ related to 2021/0366(COD)
Amendment 38 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) Obligations concerning relevant commodities and products should be laid down by this Regulation in order to effectively combat deforestation, forest and conversion of natural ecosystems, forest and ecosystems degradation, and to promote deforestation- free supply chains as well as to ensure the protection of human rights recognised under international law, in particular under treaties and other instruments ratified or endorsed by the country of production, and especially the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Amendment 41 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32
Recital 32
(32) To strengthen the Union’s contribution to halting deforestation and forest, conversion of natural ecosystems and forest and ecosystems degradation, and to ensure that commodities and products from supply chains related to deforestation and forest, conversion of natural ecosystems and forest and ecosystems degradation are not placed on the Union market, relevant commodities and products should not be placed or made available on the Union market, nor exported from the Union market unless they are deforestation-free and have been produced in accordance with the relevant legislation of the country of production. To confirm that this is the case, they should always be accompanied by a due diligence statement and comply with international standards in the field of human rights, and particularly the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities, to prevent any violation of those. To confirm that this is the case, they should always be accompanied by a due diligence statement, in order to prevent access to the EU market for products with a high risk of deforestation, conversion or ecosystem degradation.
Amendment 45 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) On the basis of a systemic approach, operators should take the appropriate steps in order to ascertain that the relevant commodities and products that they intend to place on the Union market comply with the deforestation-free and legality requirements of this Regulation. To that end, operators should establish and implement due diligence procedures. The due diligence procedure required by this Regulation should include three elements: information requirements, risk assessment and risk mitigation measures. The due diligence procedures should be designed to provide access to information about the sources and suppliers of the commodities and products being placed on the Union market, including information demonstrating that the absence of deforestation and forest degradation and legality requirements are fulfilled, inter alia by identifying the country and area of production, including where necessary to ascertain no or negligible risk of deforestation, the geo-location coordinates of relevant plots of land. These gGeo-location coordinates that rely on timing, positioning and/or Earth observation could make use of space data and services delivered under the Union’s Space programme (EGNOS/Galileo and Copernicus). On the basis of this informatione data available for the country and the production area, operators should carry out a risk assessment. Where a risk is identified, operators should mitigate such risk to achieve no or negligible risk. Only after completing the required steps of the due diligence procedure and concluding that no or negligible risk exists that the relevant commodity or product is not compliant with this Regulation, should the operator be allowed to place the relevant commodity or product on the Union market or to export it.
Amendment 46 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) On the basis of a systemic approach, operators should take the appropriate steps in order to ascertain that the relevant commodities and products that they intend to place on the Union market comply with the deforestation-free and legality requirements of this Regulation. To that end, operators should establish and implement due diligence procedures. The due diligence procedure required by this Regulation should include three elements: information requirements, risk assessment and risk mitigation measures. The due diligence procedures should be designed to provide access to information about the sources and suppliers of the commodities and products being placed on the Union market, including information demonstrating that the absence of deforestation and forest, conversion of natural ecosystems and forest and ecosystems degradation and legality requirements are fulfilled, inter alia by identifying the country and area of production, including geo-location coordinates of relevant plots of land. These geo-location coordinates that rely on timing, positioning and/or Earth observation could make use of space data and services delivered under the Union’s Space programme (EGNOS/Galileo and Copernicus). On the basis of this information, operators should carry out a risk assessment. Where a risk is identified, operators should mitigate such risk to achieve no or negligible risk. Only after completing the required steps of the due diligence procedure and concluding that no or negligible risk exists that the relevant commodity or product is not compliant with this Regulation, should the operator be allowed to place the relevant commodity or product on the Union market or to export it.
Amendment 48 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33 a (new)
Recital 33 a (new)
(33 a) Operators have the responsibility to undertake reasonable efforts to ensure a fair price is paid to the producers they source from, in particular smallholders, so as to enable a living income and effectively address poverty as a root cause of deforestation.
Amendment 51 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 37
Recital 37
(37) In order to foster transparency and facilitate enforcement, operators which are not SMEsmall and micro-enterprises should, on an annual basis, publicly report on their due diligence system, including on the steps taken to implement their obligations.
Amendment 58 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 45
Recital 45
(45) In order to optimise and unburdenease the control process of relevant commodities and products entering or leaving the Union market, it is necessary to set up electronic interfaces that allow the automatic data transfer between customs systems and the Information System of competent authorities. The EU Single Window environment for customs is the natural candidate to support such data transfers. The interfaces should be highly automated and easy-to-use, and additional burdenfacilitate the processes for customs authorities should be limited. Moreover, in view of the limited differences between the data to be declared respectively in the customs declaration and the due diligence statement, it is appropriate to propose also a ‘business-to- government’ approach whereby traders and economic operators make available the due diligence statement of a relevant commodity or product via national single window environment for customs and this statement is transmitted automatically to the Information System used by competent authorities. Customs authorities and competent authorities should contribute to determine the data to be transmitted and any other technical requirement.
Amendment 59 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) The risk of non-compliant commodities and products being placed on the Union market varies depending on the commodity and product as well as on its country of origin and production. Operators sourcing commodities and products from countries or parts thereof that present a low risk of growing, harvesting or producing relevant commodities in violation of this Regulation should be subject to fewer obligations, thereby reducing compliance costs and administrative burden. Commodities and products from high-risk countries or parts thereof should be subject to enhanced scrutiny by the competent authorities.
Amendment 71 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 2
Article 4 – paragraph 2
2. Operators that by exercising due diligence as referred to in Article 8 have come to the conclusion that the relevant commodities and products comply with the requirements of this Regulation shall make available to the competent authorities via the information system referred to in Article 31 a due diligence statement before placing on the Union market or exporting the relevant commodities and products. That electronically available and transmit table and certified statement shall confirm that due diligence was carried out and no or only negligible risk was found and shall contain the information set out in Annex II for the relevant commodities and products; statements and certification shall be published and made available for administrative, civic and scientific scrutiny.
Amendment 75 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6
6. Operators that have received new information, including substantiated concerns, that indicates a non-negligible risk that the relevant commodity or product that they have already placed on the market ismay not be in conformity with the requirements of this Regulation shall immediately inform the competent authorities of the Member States in which they placed the relevant commodity or product on the market, as well as traders to whom they have supplied the relevant commodity or product in view of preventing further circulation on, or export from, the internal market. In the case of exports from the Union market, the operators shall inform the competent authority of Member State which is the country of production.
Amendment 78 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6
6. Operators that have received new relevant information, including substantiated concerns, that the relevant commodity or product that they have already placed on the market is not in conformity with the requirements of this Regulation shall immediately inform the competent authorities of the Member States in which they placed the relevant commodity or product on the market. In the case of exports from the Union market, the operators shall inform the competent authority of Member State which is the country of production.
Amendment 79 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 7 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Operators and traders should install an open-access system to allow third parties to submit substantiated concerns about non-negligible risk of non-conformity of the relevant commodity or product placed on the market with the requirements of this regulation. Operators shall assess the substantiated concerns received and follow-up on them pursuant to paragraph 6 of this Article. The Commission may adopt implementing acts concerning technical details for the establishing and maintaining of the access system referred to in paragraph 1.
Amendment 82 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 7 b (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 7 b (new)
7 b. Operators should by any means support the compliance of their suppliers, including smallholders, with the regulation, including through investments and capacity building as well as pricing mechanisms that would enable a living income for the producers they source from.
Amendment 85 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 1
Article 8 – paragraph 1
1. Prior to placing relevant commodities and products on the market or before exporting them, operators shall exercisecarry out a due diligence system with regard to all relevant commodities and products supplied by each particular supplier in such a way as to ensure the requirements set out in points (a) and (b) of Article 3..
Amendment 88 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. For the purposes of this Regulation, the due diligence system shall include:
Amendment 89 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(c a) records of the activity referred to in Article 11.
Amendment 91 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Operators shall ensure meaningful engagement and participation of all relevant stakeholder groups at all stages of the due diligence process. They shall engage with stakeholders prior to taking any decisions that may impact them.
Amendment 93 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. the undertaking’s commitment, sourcing and risk management policies as referred to in Article 10(6).
Amendment 95 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. The Commission may adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 33 to supplement paragraph 3 as regards meaningful engagement and participation to be conducted to ensure the effectiveness of the due diligence system.
Amendment 98 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) concerns in relation to the country or region of production and origin, such as level of corruption, prevalence of document and data falsification, lack of law enforcement, violation of rights of, or violence against, Indigenous Peoples, local communities or other customary tenure rights holders, as well as human rights and environmental human rights defenders, armed conflict or presence of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council or the Council of the European Union;
Amendment 100 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new)
(e a) the existence of claims to or disputes regarding the use of, ownership of, or exercise of customary tenure rights on the area used for the purpose of producing the relevant commodities and products, whether formally registered or not;
Amendment 101 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point e b (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point e b (new)
(e b) the presence of indigenous peoples, local communities and other customary tenure rights holders in the country and area of production of the relevant commodity or products;
Amendment 105 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
(f a) the prevalence of business practices, such as purchasing and pricing practices, that undermine the capacity of farmers to produce relevant commodities and products in a manner consistent with the requirements of this Regulation;
Amendment 107 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) the risk of mixing with products of unknown origin or produced in areas where deforestation or forest degradation has, conversion of natural ecosystems or forest and ecosystem degradation, as well as violations of the relevant law have occurred or isare occurring;
Amendment 108 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point j
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point j
(j) complementary information on compliance with this Regulation, which may include information supplied by certification or other third-party-verified schemes, including voluntary schemes recognised by the Commission under Article 30(5) of Directive (EU) 2018/200149 , provided that the information meets the requirements set out in Article 9; _________________ 49 Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2018 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (OJ L 328/82, 21.12.2018, p. 82–209).
Amendment 111 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 4
Article 10 – paragraph 4
4. Except where the analysis undertaken in accordance with paragraph 1 allows the operator to ascertain that there is no or negligible risk that the relevant commodities or products are not compliant with the requirements of this Regulation, the operator shall adopt prior to placing the relevant commodities and products on the Union market or to their export risk mitigation procedures and measures that are adequate to reach no or negligible risk. This may include requiring additional information, data or documents, undertaking independent surveys or audits, capacity building for suppliers, or other measures pertaining to information requirements set out in Article 9.
Amendment 113 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Where relevant, operators shall ensure that risk assessments and mitigation measures are adopted ensuring the participation and consultation of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and other customary tenure rights holders that are present in the area of production of the relevant commodities and products.
Amendment 116 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6 – point a
Article 10 – paragraph 6 – point a
(a) model risk management practices, reporting, record-keeping, internal control and compliance management, including for operators that are not SMEs, the appointment of a compliance officer at management level;
Amendment 117 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 6 – point a a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 6 – point a a (new)
(a a) Undertakings shall ensure that their purchase policies do not cause or contribute to deforestation, forest or ecosystem conversion or degradation;
Amendment 119 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 7 a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. In cases where compliance could be reached through targeted support for smallholder suppliers, operators should refrain from abusive disengagement by temporarily suspending trade while pursuing the needed mitigation measures. Where mitigation is not possible or attempts of mitigation have failed, operators shall address the potentialadverse impacts of disengagement on smallholder suppliers and disclose as part of their reporting obligation as referred to in Article 11(2) the number of instances where they have decided to disengage, the reason for this disengagement and the location of the concerned suppliers without disclosing their identity, except where the operator deems it acceptable to do so in accordance with applicable laws.
Amendment 122 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12
Article 12
Amendment 124 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 – paragraph 2
Article 12 – paragraph 2
2. However, if the operator obtains or is made aware of any relevant information that would point to a risk that the relevant commodities and products may not fulfil the requirements of this Regulation, all obligations of Article 9 and 10 have to be fulfilled.
Amendment 129 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 d (new)
Article 12 d (new)
Amendment 130 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12 e (new)
Article 12 e (new)
Article 12 e Relation with other Due diligence requirements Due diligence obligations under this Regulation shall apply independently and without prejudice to any other Union due diligence or sustainability obligations. This regulation shall not modify requirements stemming from other Union sustainability or due diligence legislation.
Amendment 131 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 1
1. Without prejudice to Article 23, where competent authorities establish that an operator or trader has not complied with its obligations under this Regulation or that a relevant commodity or product is not compliant with this Regulation, they shall without delay require the relevant operator or trader to take appropriate and proportionate corrective action to bring the non-compliance to an end, both for the relevant commodities or products concerned and all others with the same risk profile.
Amendment 132 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 1
1. Without prejudice toIn addition to the imposition penalties in line with Article 23, where competent authorities establish that an operator or trader has not complied with its obligations under this Regulation or that a relevant commodity or product is not compliant with this Regulation, they shall without delay require the relevant operator or trader to take appropriate and proportionate corrective action to bring efficiently the non-compliance to an end as soon as possible within a specified period of time.
Amendment 136 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the corrective action required to be taken by the operator or trader shall be determined by the competent authority and include at least one or more of the following:
Amendment 138 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. For the purposes of paragraph 1, the corrective action required to be taken by the operator or trader shall include at least one or more of the following:
Amendment 140 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) donating it to charitable or public interest purposes or destroying the relevant commodity or product or donating it to charitable or public interest purposes.
Amendment 143 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(d a) addressing any shortcomings in the due diligence system which may have led to the non-compliance, in view of preventing the risk of further infringements.
Amendment 146 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 3
Article 22 – paragraph 3
3. If the operator or trader fails to take satisfactory corrective action referred to in paragraph 2 or wherewithin the specified period of time or where to remedy the non- compliance referred to in paragraph 1 persists, competent authorities shall ensure that relevant commodity or the product is withdrawn or recalled, or that its being made available on or exported from the Union market is prohibited or restricted.
Amendment 147 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 1
Article 23 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall lay downFor having equal standards in the European Union, the Commission shall provide by implementing rules on penalties applicable to infringements of the provisions of this Regulation by operators and traders and. Member States shall take all measures necessary to ensure that they are implemented. Member States shall notify the Commission of those provisions and without delay of any subsequent amendments affecting them.
Amendment 151 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(d a) in case of serious or repeated infringement, suspension of the right to submit a due diligence statement in view of placing relevant commodities and products on the Union market, or of exporting them;
Amendment 153 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d b (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d b (new)
(d b) recall of relevant commodities or products offered for sale including at retailers;
Amendment 155 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d c (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d c (new)
(d c) criminal sanctions, in accordance with the(Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of the environment through criminal law and replacing Directive2008/99/EC);
Amendment 159 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 1
Article 26 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall develop an electronic interface based on the EU Single Window Environment for Customs to enable the transmission of data, in particular the notifications and requests referred to in Article 24, paragraphs 5 to 8, between national customs systems and the information system referred to in Article 31. This electronic interface shall be in place at the latest fourone years from the date of adoption of the relevant implementing act referred to in paragraph 3.
Amendment 161 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 26 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The Commission mayshall develop an electronic interface based on the EU Single Window Environment for Customs to enable:
Amendment 899 #
Proposal for a regulation
Title 1
Title 1
Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL on the making available on the Union market as well as export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation, ecosystem conversion, ecosystem and forest degradation and human rights violations and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 (Text with EEA relevance)
Amendment 900 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 3
Recital 3
(3) Deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, ecosystem and forest degradation contribute to the global climate crisis in multiple ways. Most importantly, they increase greenhouse gas emissions through associated forest fires, permanently removing carbon sink capacities, decreasing climate change resilience of the affected area and substantially reducing its biodiversity. Deforestation alone accounts for 11 % of greenhouse gas emissions20 . __________________ 20 IPCC, Climate Change and Land: an IPCC special report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems, https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/.
Amendment 901 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 4
Recital 4
(4) Climate breakdown induces the loss of biodiversity globally and biodiversity loss aggravates climate change, they are inextricably linked, as recent studies have confirmed. Biodiversity helps mitigate climate change. Insects, birds and mammals act as pollinators, seed dispersers and can help store carbon more efficiently, directly or indirectly. Forests also ensure a continuous replenishment of water resources and prevention of droughts and their deleterious effects to local communities, including indigenous peoples. Drastically reducing deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, natural ecosystem and forest degradation and systemically restoring forests and other ecosystems is the single largest nature- based opportunity for climate mitigation.
Amendment 902 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 7
Recital 7
(7) Union consumption is a considerable driver of deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion and natural ecosystem and forest degradation on a global scale. The initiative’s Impact Assessment estimated that without an appropriate regulatory intervention EU consumption and production of the six commodities included in the scope (wood, cattle, soy, palm oil, cocoa and coffee) will rise to approximately 248,000 hectares of deforestation annually by 2030.
Amendment 903 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 11
Recital 11
(11) The European Parliament highlighted that ongoing destruction and degradation of the world’s forests isand natural ecosystems, as well as human rights violations, are linked, to a large extent, to the expansion of agricultural production — in particular by converting forests to agricultural land dedicated to producing a number of high-demand products and commodities. The Parliament adopted on 22 October 2020 a resolution32 in accordance with Article 225 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) requesting the Commission to submit, on the basis of Article 192(1) TFEU, a proposal for an “EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation” based on mandatory due diligence. __________________ 32 European Parliament resolution of 22 October 2020 with recommendations to the Commission on an EU legal framework to halt and reverse EU-driven global deforestation (2020/2006(INL) Available at https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/doc ument/TA-9-2020-0285_EN.html.
Amendment 904 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 12
Recital 12
(12) Combatting deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, as well as natural ecosystem and forest degradation constitutes an important part of the package of measures needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to comply with the Union's commitment under the European Green Deal as well as with the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change33 , and with the legally binding commitment under the EU Climate Law to reach climate neutrality by 2050 at the latest and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 % below 1990 levels by 2030. __________________ 33 Ratified by the EU on 5 October 2016, and entered into force on 4 November 2016.
Amendment 905 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 19
Recital 19
(19) This Regulation also follows the CommExisting free trade agreement’s Trade and Sustainable Development chapters with provission’s Communication on “An Open, Sustainable and Assertivon environmental protection, climate change, biodiversity and forests do not provide for sufficiently implementable obligations and are not enforceable. Regional free Ttrade Policy”38 which stated that wagreements often contribute to agricultural land expansion and net deforestation. With new internal and external challenges and more particularly a new, more sustainable growthdevelopment model as defined by the European Green Deal and the European Digital Strategy, the EU needs a new trade policy strategy –one that will support achieving its domestic and external policy objectives and promote greater sustainability in line with its commitment of fully implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Trade policy must play its full role in the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and in the green and digital transformations of the economy and towards building a more resilient Europe in the world. __________________ 38 Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European, Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, Trade Policy Review - An Open, Sustainable and Assertive Trade Policy, COM(2021) 66 final, 18 February 2021.
Amendment 906 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21
Recital 21
(21) The Commission should continue to work in partnership with producer countries, and more generally in cooperation with international organisations and bodies, and should be reinforcing its support and incentives with regard to protecting forests and transition to deforestation-free production, acknowledging the roleand strengthening the role and rights of indigenous people, improving governance and land tenure, including the right to free, prior and informed consent, increasing law enforcement and promoting sustainable forest management, climate-resilient agriculture, sustainable intensification and diversification, agro- ecology and agroforestry. In doing so it should acknowledge the role of indigenous people in protecting forests. Building upon the experience and lessons learned in the context of the already existing initiatives, the Union and the Member States should work in partnership with producer countries, upon their request, to exploit the multi-functionalities of forest, support them in the transition to sustainable forest management, and address global challenges while meeting local needs and paying attention to the challenges faced by smallholders in line with the Communication to Stepping up Action to Protect and Restore the World’s Forests. The partnership approach should help producer countries in protecting, restoring and sustainably using forest, hence contributing to the objective of this Regulation to reduce deforestation and forest degradation.
Amendment 907 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 a (new)
Recital 21 a (new)
(21 a) This Regulation recognises the economic importance of commodity exports for third countries as well as the specific challenges that smallholders, especially women, may face. Given that the share of smallholders in the production of the commodities concerned can be very high, special attention needs to be paid to the challenges that smallholders will face with the implementation of this Regulation. It is crucial that the operators buying from smallholders provide timely financial and technical support to help smallholders meet the new Union market access requirements. To support sustainable practices, such as agro-ecology and community forest management, the EU should tackle direct and indirect drivers of deforestation, including poverty, by promoting a living income for smallholders producing goods exported to the EU and securing sufficient resources to specifically support smallholders in third countries to comply with the requirements of this Regulation and facilitate their access to the EU market. At the same time, the setting up of a credible traceability system can empower smallholder farmers as it can avoid the non-payment of promised sustainability premiums, allow for electronic payments to producers by using the national traceability system thus combatting fraud and enable local authorities to collect knowledge on the number of producer plots and control the number of farmers.
Amendment 908 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 b (new)
Recital 21 b (new)
(21 b) In line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, this Regulation should recognise that in carrying out their due diligence, companies must pay particular attention to the actual and potential negative impacts of their activities on marginalised or vulnerable groups. Businesses should also have to take into account the different risks that women and men may face, as women and people with different gender identities face gender-specific impacts.
Amendment 909 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 c (new)
Recital 21 c (new)
(21 c) This Regulation takes into account the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, according to which all companies, regardless of their size, have a responsibility to respect human rights, while the policies and procedures for meeting these obligations must be commensurate with their size.
Amendment 910 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 21 d (new)
Recital 21 d (new)
(21 d) In order to provide support to operators and traders and to Competent Authorities, the Commission, in consultation with Member States, non- governmental organisations and other stakeholders should issue guidelines, including for specific sectors, to facilitate compliance with the information, risk assessment and risk mitigation requirements of this Regulation.
Amendment 911 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 22
Recital 22
(22) Another important action announced in the Communication is the establishment of the EU Observatory on deforestation, forest degradation, changes in the world’s forest cover and associated drivers (“EU Observatory”) launched by the Commission in order to better monitor changes in the world’s forest cover and related drivers. Moreover, building on already existing monitoring tools, including Copernicus products, the EU Observatory will facilitate access to information on supply chains for public entities, consumers and business, providing easy-to-understand data and information linking deforestation, forest degradation, and changes in the world’s forest cover to EU demand/trade for commodities and products. The EU Observatory will thus directly support the implementation of this Regulation by providing scientific evidence in regard to global deforestation and forest degradation and related trade. The Commission should also examine how land rights can be integrated into monitoring under the EU Observatory. The EU Observatory will cooperate closely with relevant international organisations, research institutes, non-governmental organisations and third countries.
Amendment 912 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 26
Recital 26
(26) The definition of “deforestation, conversion and degradation- free” should be sufficiently broad to cover both deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, as well as natural ecosystem and forest degradation, it should provide legal clarity, and it should be measurable based on quantitative, objective and internationally recognised data.
Amendment 913 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 27
Recital 27
(27) The Regulation should cover those commodities whose Union consumption is the most relevant in terms of driving global deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, as well as natural ecosystem and forest degradation and for which a Union policy intervention could bring highest benefits per unit value of tradebenefits. An extensive review of scientific literature, namely of primary sources estimating the impact of EU consumption on global deforestation and linking that footprint to specific commodities, was carried out as a part of the study supporting the Impact Assessment and cross-checked via extensive consultation with stakeholders. That process delivered a first list of eight commodities. Wood was directly included in the scope as it was already covered by the EUTR. The list of the commodities was then further reduced via an efficiency analysis in the Impact Assessment. This efficiency analysis compared the hectares of deforestation linked to EU consumption, as estimated in a recent research paper44 , for each of those commodities with their average value of EU imports. According to the research paper used for the efficiency analysis, six commodities represent the largest share of EU-driven deforestation among the total of eight commodities analysed in that research paper: palm oil (33,95%), soy (32,83%), wood (8,62%), cocoa (7,54%), coffee (7,01%) and beef (5,01%). Other commodities, such as maize, rubber, poultry, swine, sheep and goats are also contributing to EU-driven global deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, natural ecosystem and forest degradation. All these commodities, as well as all goods that contain, have been fed with or have been made using these, or products deriving from them, should be within the scope of this Regulation from the beginning. The Commission should be empowered to add additional commodities and products to Annex I by delegated acts. __________________ 44 Pendrill F., Persson U. M., Kastner, T. 2020.
Amendment 914 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 29
Recital 29
(29) Obligations concerning relevant commodities and products should be laid down by this Regulation in order to effectively combat deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, as well as natural ecosystem and forest degradation, and to promote deforestation, conversion and degradation- free supply chains.
Amendment 915 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 31
Recital 31
(31) A cut-off date should be set to provide a basis for the evaluation of whether concerned land has been subject to deforestation or forest degradation, meaning that no commodities and products in the scope of this Regulation would be allowed to enter the Union market or be exported if they were produced on land subject to deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, or natural ecosystem or forest degradation after that date. It should allow for the appropriate verification and monitoring, correspond to existing international commitments, such as the SDGs and the New York Declaration on Forests, thusand minimisinge sudden disruption to supply chains while removing any incentive to accelerate activities leading to deforestation and forest degradation in view of the entry into force of this Regulation.
Amendment 916 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 32
Recital 32
(32) To strengthen the Union’s contribution to halting deforestation and forest degradation, and to ensure that commodities and products from supply chains related to deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion and natural ecosystem and forest degradation are not placed on the Union market, relevant commodities and products should not be placed or made available on the Union market, nor exported from the Union market unless they are deforestation, conversion and degradation-free and have been produced in accordance with the relevant legislation of the country of productionaw. To confirm that this is the case, they should always be accompanied by a due diligence statement.
Amendment 917 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33
Recital 33
(33) On the basis of a systemic approach, operators should take the appropriate steps in order to ascertain that the relevant commodities and products that they intend to place on the Union market comply with the deforestation, conversion and degradation-free and legality requirements of this Regulation. To that end, operators should establish and implement due diligence procedures. The due diligence procedure required by this Regulation should include threefour elements: information requirements, risk assessment and risk mitigation measures and reporting obligations. The due diligence procedures should be designed to provide access to information about the sources and suppliers of the commodities and products being placed on the Union market, including information demonstrating that the absence of deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion and natural ecosystem and forest degradation and legality requirements are fulfilled, inter alia by identifying the country and area of production, including geo-location coordinates or polygons of relevant plots of land. These geo-location coordinates or polygons that rely on timing, positioning and/or Earth observation could make use of space data and services delivered under the Union’s Space programme (EGNOS/Galileo and Copernicus). Polygon mapping, by providing information on the accurate location and the accurate size of the plot of land, in combination with information on the accurate yield quantity allows for better estimates about the production potential of a farm and to detect volumes of commodities and products that are beyond the potential production of that farm and might indicate attempts of commodity- or product-laundry. On the basis of this information, operators should carry out a risk assessment. Where a risk is identified, operators should mitigate such risk to achieve no or negligible risk. Only after completing the required steps of the due diligence procedure and concluding that no or negligible risk exists that the relevant commodity or product is not compliant with this Regulation, should the operator be allowed to place the relevant commodity or product on the Union market or to export it. In order to foster transparency and facilitate enforcement, operators should, on an annual basis, publicly report on their due diligence system, including on the steps taken to implement their obligations.
Amendment 918 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 33 a (new)
Recital 33 a (new)
(33 a) Operators should undertake reasonable efforts to ensure a fair price is paid to the producers they source from, in particular smallholders, so as to enable a living income and effectively address poverty as a root cause of deforestation.
Amendment 919 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 35
Recital 35
(35) In order to recognise good practice, certification or other third party verified schemes could be used in the risk assessment procedure, however, they should notby no means substitute the operator’s responsibility as regards due diligence.
Amendment 920 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 37
Recital 37
Amendment 921 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 38
Recital 38
(38) Other EU legislative instruments that set out due diligence requirements in the value chain with regard to adverse human rights or environmental impacts should apply in so far as there are no specific provisions with the same objective, nature and effect in this Regulation which may be adapted in the light of future legislative amendments. This Regulation aims at checking the conformity of commodities and products with sustainability and legality requirements. It applies ex-ante, before commodities or products are placed on or exported from the EU market. The existence of this Regulation should not exclude the application of other EU legislative instruments that lay down requirements regarding value chain due diligence. Where such other EU legislative instruments provide for more specific provisions or add requirements to the provisions laid down in this Regulation, such provisions should be applied in conjunction with those of this Regulation. Furthermore, where this Regulation contains more specific provisions, they should not be interpreted in a way that undermines the effective application of other EU legislative instruments on due diligence or the achievement of their general aim.
Amendment 922 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 42
Recital 42
(42) For the relevant commodities and products entering or leaving the Union market, competent authorities are tasked with the verification of the compliance of relevant commodities and products with the obligations under this Regulation, whereas the role of customs is to ensure that the reference of a due diligence statement is made available in the customs declaration where applicable and, in addition as from the moment the electronic interface will be in place to exchange information between customs authorities and competent authorities, to check the status of the due diligence statement after an initial risk analysis carried out by competent authorities in the Information System and act accordingly (i.e. suspend or refuse a commodity or product if requested to do so through the status in the Information System). This specific organisation of controls discards the application of Chapter VII of Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 in so far as the application and enforcement of this Regulation is concerned.
Amendment 923 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 46
Recital 46
(46) The risk of non-compliant commodities and products being placed on the Union market variescan vary depending on the commodity and product as well as on its country of origin and production. Operators sourcing commodities and products from countries or parts thereof that present a low risk of growing, harvesting or producing relevant commodities in violation of this Regulation should be subject to fewer obligations, thereby reducing compliance costs and administrative burden. Commodities and products from high-risk countries or parts thereof should be subject to enhanced scrutiny by the competent authorities.
Amendment 924 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 47
Recital 47
(47) For this reason, the Commission should assess the deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, and natural ecosystem and forest degradation risk at a level of a country or parts thereof based on a range of criteria that reflect both quantitative, objective and internationally recognised data, and indications that the countries are actively engaged in fighting deforestation and forest degradation, natural ecosystem conversion, forest and natural ecosystem degradation and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities. This benchmarking information should make it easier for operators in the Union to exercise due diligence and for competent authorities to monitor and enforce compliance, while also providing an incentive for producer countries to increase the sustainability of their agricultural production systems and reduce their deforestation impact. This should help making supply chains more transparent and sustainable. This benchmarking system should be based on a threewo-tier classification of countries to be regarded as low, standard or high risk. In order to ensure appropriate transparency and clarity, the Commission should in particular make publicly available the data being used for benchmarking, the reasons for the proposed change of classification and the reply of the country concerned. For relevant commodities and products from low risk countries or parts of countries identified as low-risk, operators should be allowed to apply a simplified due diligence, whilst cCompetent authorities should be required to apply enhanced scrutiny on relevant commodities and products from high risk countries or parts of countries identified as high-risk. The Commission should be empowered to adopt implementing measures to establish the countries or parts thereof that present a low or high risk of producing relevant commodities and products that are not compliant with this Regulation.
Amendment 925 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 49
Recital 49
(49) The checks of operators and traders by competent authorities should cover the due diligence systems and the compliance of the relevant commodities and products with the provisions of this Regulation. The checks should be based on a risk-based plan of checks. The plan should contain risk criteria that enable competent authorities to carry out a risk analysis of the due diligence statements submitted by operators and traders. The risk criteria should take into account the risk of deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, natural ecosystem and forest degradation and human rights violations associated to relevant commodities and products in the country of production or part thereof, the history of compliance of operators and traders with the obligations of this Regulation and any other relevant information available to competent authorities. The risk analysis of due diligence statements should allow competent authorities the identification of operators, traders and relevant commodities and products to be checked, and should be carried out using electronic data processing techniques in the information system which collects the due diligence statements. Where necessary, competent authorities, in close cooperation with authorities in third countries, should also conduct controls in situ.
Amendment 926 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 50 a (new)
Recital 50 a (new)
(50 a) Operators should support the compliance of their suppliers that are smallholders, with this regulation, including through investments and capacity-building, as well as pricing mechanisms that enable a living income for the producers they source from.
Amendment 927 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 51
Recital 51
(51) The plan for checks should be regularly updated on the basis of the results of its implementation. Those operators showing a consistent track record of compliance shouldmight be subject to a reduced frequency of checks.
Amendment 928 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 52
Recital 52
(52) In order to ensure implementation and effective enforcement of this Regulation, Member States should have the power to withdraw and recall non- compliant relevant commodities and products and take appropriate corrective actions. They should also ensure that infringements of this Regulation by operators and traders are sanctioned by effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties and that operators failing to comply with the duties of this Regulation are liable and obliged to compensate for the harm that the exercise of due diligence would have avoided.
Amendment 929 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 53
Recital 53
(53) Taking into account the international character of deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion and natural ecosystem and forest degradation and related trade, competent authorities should cooperate with each other, with customs authorities of the Member States, with the Commission, as well as with the administrative authorities of third countries. Competent authorities should also cooperate with the competent authorities for the supervision and enforcement of other EU legislative instruments that set out due diligence requirements in the value chain with regard to adverse human rights or environmental impacts.
Amendment 930 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 54
Recital 54
(54) While this Regulation addresses deforestation and forest degradation, as envisaged in the 2019 Communication ’Stepping up EU Action to Protect and Restore the World’s Forests, protecting forests should not lead to the conversion or degradation of other natural ecosystems. Ecosystems such as wetlands, savannahs and peatlands are highly significant to global efforts to combat climate change, as well as other sustainable development goals and their conversion or degradation require particular urgent attention. To address this, the Commission should assess the need and feasibility of extending the scope to other ecosystems and to further commodities two years after the entry into force. At the same time, the Commission should also undertake a review of the relevant products as listed in Annex I of this Regulation by way of a delegated actEcosystems such as wetlands, savannahs and peatlands are highly significant to global efforts to combat climate change, as well as other sustainable development goals and their conversion or degradation require particular urgent attention. They as well are increasingly under pressure of conversion and degradation due to commodity production for the EU market. To address this, these ecosystems should also be covered by this Regulation.
Amendment 931 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 58
Recital 58
(58) While this Regulation addresses deforestation and forest degradation, as envisaged in the 2019 Communication ’Stepping up EU Action to Protect and Restore the World’s Forests, pProtecting forests should not lead to the conversion or degradation of other natural ecosystems. Ecosystems such as wetlands, savannahs and peatlands are highly significant to global efforts to combat climate change, as well as other sustainable development goals and their conversion or degradation require particular urgent attention. An evaluation of the need and the feasibility of extending the scope of this Regulation to other ecosystems than forests should therefore be undertaken within 2 years of the entry into force of this Regulation.
Amendment 932 #
Proposal for a regulation
Recital 60
Recital 60
(60) Since the objective of this Regulation, fighting against deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion and natural ecosystem and forest degradation by reducing the contribution of consumption in the Union and by incentivising deforestation, ecosystem conversion and ecosystem and forest degradation reduction in producer countries, cannot be achieved by the Member States individually and can therefore, by reason of its scale, be better achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article, this Regulation does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve that objective.
Amendment 933 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – introductory part
This Regulation lays down rules regarding the placing and making available on the Union market, as well as the export from the Union market, of cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, soya and wood (“relevant commodities”) and products, as listed in Annex Iertain commodities, listed in Annex I (“relevant commodities”), that contain, have been fed with or have been made using relevant commodities or products deriving from them (“relevant products”), with a view to
Amendment 934 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) minimising the Union’s contribution to deforestation and forest, forest degradation, ecosystem conversion and ecosystem degradation worldwide
Amendment 935 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new)
(b a) preventing the violation of human rights linked to the production of relevant commodities and products
Amendment 936 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b b (new)
(b b) contributing to a reduction in global deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion, forest and natural ecosystem degradation and the violation of human rights linked to the production of relevant commodities and products.
Amendment 937 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 1 – paragraph 2
Article 1 – paragraph 2
The Regulation shall not apply to relevant commodities and products placed on the Union market that were produced before the date established in Article 36(1).
Amendment 938 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 1
(1) ‘deforestation’ means the conversion of forests to another land use, including agricultural use, whether human- induced or not. This definition also applies to the conversion of forests that are not plantation forests into plantation forests;
Amendment 939 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 a (new)
(2 a) ‘agricultural use’ means the use of land for any one or more of the following: cultivation of temporary or annual crops that have a growing cycle of one year or less; cultivation of permanent or perennial crops that have a growing cycle of more than one year, including tree crops; cultivation of permanent or temporary meadows or pastures; and temporarily fallow land.
Amendment 940 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 2 b (new)
(2 b) ‘ecosystem conversion’ means the change of a natural ecosystem to another land use or change in a natural ecosystem’s species composition, structure, or function. This includes the introduction of management practices that result in a substantial and sustained change in the ecosystem’s species composition, structure, or function.
Amendment 941 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 4
(4) ‘plantation forest’ means a planted forest that is intensively managed and meets, at planting and stand maturity, all the following criteria: one or two species, even age class, and regular spacing. It specifically includes all short rotation plantations for wood, fibre and energy, and. It specifically excludes all forests planted for protection or ecosystem restoration, as well as forests established through planting or seeding which at stand maturity resemble or will resemble naturally regenerating forests;
Amendment 942 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 5 a (new)
(5 a) ‘natural ecosystem’ means an ecosystem, including human-managed ecosystems, that substantially resembles, in terms of species composition, structure, and ecological function, an ecosystem that is or would be found in a given area in the absence of major human impacts. These include, in particular, land with high carbon stocks and land with a high biodiversity value such as savannahs, grasslands, peatlands and wetlands, such as mangroves.
Amendment 943 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 6
(6) ‘forest degradation’ means charvesting operations that are not sustainable and cause a reduction or loss of the biological or economic productivity and complexity of forest ecosystems, resulting in the long-term reduction of the overall supply of benefits from forest, which includes wood, biodiversity and other pronges within a forest that negatively affect its species composition, structure, or function and reduce the forest’s capacity to support biodiversity or deliver ecosystem services, whether human inductsed or servicesnot;
Amendment 944 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7
Amendment 945 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 7 a (new)
(7 a) ‘ecosystem degradation’ means changes within a natural ecosystem that negatively affect its species composition, structure, or function and reduce the ecosystem’s capacity to support biodiversity, or deliver ecosystem services.
Amendment 946 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 – introductory part
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 – introductory part
(8) ‘deforestation, conversion and degradation-free’ means
Amendment 947 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 – point a
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 – point a
(a) that the relevant commodities and products, including those used for or contained in relevant products, were produced on land that has not been subject to deforestation or natural ecosystem conversion after December 31, 20207, and
Amendment 948 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 – point b
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 8 – point b
(b) that the woodrelevant commodities hasve been harvested from the forest without inducing forestproduced without inducing or contributing to forest or ecosystem degradation after December 31, 20207;
Amendment 949 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 16
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 16
(16) ‘negligible risk’ means the level of risk that applies to relevant commodities and products to be placed on, or exported from, the Union market when, following a full assessment of both the product-specific and the general information on compliance with Articles 3(a) and 3(b) by relevantand the application of the appropriate mitigation measures, these commodities or products showing no cause for concern;
Amendment 950 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 16 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 16 a (new)
(16 a) ‘meaningful engagement with stakeholders’ means understanding the concerns and interests of relevant stakeholders, in particular the most vulnerable groups such as smallholders and indigenous peoples, as well as local communities, including women, by consulting them directly in a manner that takes into account potential barriers to effective engagement.
Amendment 951 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 18
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 18
(18) ‘non-compliant products’ means relevant commodities and products that were not produced in a ‘deforestation, conversion and degradation-free’ manner, or were not produced in accordance with the relevant legislationaw of the country of production, or both;
Amendment 952 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 19 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 19 a (new)
(19 a) ‘polygon’ means a geographic boundary that encloses a continuous area of land representing a plot of land.
Amendment 953 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 21
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 21
(21) ‘substantiated concern' means well- foundeda claim based on objective and verifiable information regarding non- compliance with the present Regulation and which may require the intervention of competent authorities;
Amendment 954 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28
(28) ‘relevant legislation of the country of production’ means the rules applicable in the country of production concerning the legal status of the area of production in terms of land use rights, environmental protection, third parties’ rights and relevant trade and customs regulations under legislation framework applicable in the country of production;aw' means:
Amendment 955 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 – point a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 – point a (new)
a) the rules applicable in the country of production concerning the legal status of the area of production, land use rights, environmental protection, third parties’ rights, labour rights, as well as relevant, tax, anti-corruption, trade, customs, payment and contract regulations under the legal framework applicable in the country of production;
Amendment 956 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 – point b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 – point b (new)
b) human rights protected under international law, in particular under any treaties and other instruments ratified or endorsed by the country of production. These include instruments protecting: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, customary tenure rights and the right to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), as set out among others by the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and UN and regional treaty bodies, FAO Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants, the right to water, the right to environmental protection and sustainable development, the right to defend human rights and the environment, free from any form of persecution and harassment, United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and the Palermo Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, labour rights as enshrined in ILO fundamental conventions, such as the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention (No. 87), the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention (No.98), the Forced Labour Convention (NO. 2)) and its 2014 Protocol, Abolition of Forced Labour Convention (No. 105), Minimum Age Convention (No. 138), Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (No. 182), Equal Remuneration Convention (No. 100), Discrimination(Employment and Occupation) Convention (No 111), Protection of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Convention (No. 169), women’s rights as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families and the ILO Harassment and Violence Convention and other internationally recognised human rights related to land use, access or ownership, as well as the human right to a healthy environment, as defined in the Framework Principles on Human Rights and the Environment and the standards and good practices identified by the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and the environment. Where national laws fall short of international standards, operators must ensure that the above-mentioned rights are complied with.
Amendment 957 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 a (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 a (new)
(28 a) ‘free, prior and informed consent (FPIC)’ means a collective human right of indigenous peoples and local communities to give and withhold their consent prior to the commencement of any activity that may affect their rights, land, resources, territories,livelihoods, and food security. It is a right exercised through representatives of their own choosing and in a manner consistent with their own customs, values, and norms;
Amendment 958 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 b (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 b (new)
(28 b) ‘human rights defenders’ means individuals, groups and organs of society that promote and protect universally recognised human rights and fundamental freedoms. Human rights defenders seek the promotion and protection of civil and political rights as well as the promotion, protection and realisation of economic, social and cultural rights. Human rights defenders also promote and protect the rights of members of groups such as indigenous communities;
Amendment 959 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 c (new)
Article 2 – paragraph 1 – point 28 c (new)
(28 c) ‘environmental human rights defenders’ means individuals and groups who, in their personal or professional capacity and in a peaceful manner, strive to protect and promote human rights relating to the environment, including water, air, land, flora and fauna.
Amendment 960 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) they are deforestation, conversion and degradation-free;
Amendment 961 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point b
(b) they have been produced in accordance with the relevant legislation of the country of productionaw, as defined in Article 2(28); and
Amendment 962 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 6
Article 4 – paragraph 6
6. Operators that have received new information, including substantiated concerns, that indicate a non-negligible risk that the relevant commodity or product that they have already placed on the market is not in conformity with the requirements of this Regulation shall immediately inform the competent authorities of the Member States in which they placed the relevant commodity or product on the market, as well as traders to whom they have supplied the relevant commodity or product in view of preventing further circulation on, or export from, the internal market. In the case of exports from the Union market, the operators shall inform the competent authority of Member State which is the country of production.
Amendment 963 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 4 – paragraph 7 a (new)
Article 4 – paragraph 7 a (new)
7 a. Operators shall engage with stakeholders prior to taking any decisions that may impact them. This involves the timely provision of all information needed by potentially impacted stakeholders to be able to make an informed decision as to how the decision could affect their interests. It also means there is follow- through on implementation of agreed commitments, ensuring that adverse impacts to impacted and potentially impacted stakeholders are addressed.
Amendment 964 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 6 – paragraph 4
Article 6 – paragraph 4
4. Traders which are SMEs that have received new information, including substantiated concerns, that indicates a non-negligible risk that the relevant commodity or product that they have already made available on the market is not in conformity with the requirements of this Regulation shall immediately inform the competent authorities of the Member States in which they made available the relevant commodity or product on the market.
Amendment 965 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 2 – point c a (new)
(c a) reporting obligations as referred to in Article 11.
Amendment 966 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 8 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Operators shall ensure meaningful engagement and participation of all relevant stakeholder groups, in particular indigenous peoples, local communities, and other customary tenure rights holders that are present in the area of production of the relevant commodities and products, at all stages of the due diligence process. They shall engage with stakeholders prior to taking any decisions that may impact them.
Amendment 967 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point a
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point a
(a) description, including the trade name and type of relevant commodities and products as well as, where applicable, the common name of the species and its full scientific name; for relevant products, the description shall include mention of the relevant commodities, or products derived from them, that are contained as components or ingredients, used as feed or used in the production process;
Amendment 968 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point c
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point c
(c) identification of the country and part thereof of production;
Amendment 969 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point d
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point d
(d) geo-localisation coordinates, latitude and longitude of all plots of land, and/or the polygon map of the boundaries of all plots of land, where the relevant commodities and products were produced, as well as date or time range of production;
Amendment 970 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point e
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point e
(e) name, email and address of any business or person from whom they have been supplied with the relevant commodities or products and of all the other suppliers included upstream in the supply chain;
Amendment 971 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point h
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point h
(h) adequate and verifiable information that the production has been conducted in accordance with relevant legislation of the country of productionaw, including any arrangement conferring the right to use the respective area for the purposes of the production of the relevant commodity and that the arrangement was made based on free, prior and informed consent (FPIC);
Amendment 972 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point h a (new)
(h a) adequate and verifiable information, obtained via independent audits and appropriate consultation processes, that the area used for the purpose of producing the relevant commodities and products is not subject to any claims on the basis of indigenous, customary or other legitimate tenure rights or subject to any dispute regarding their use, ownership or occupation;
Amendment 973 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point h b (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 1 – point h b (new)
(h b) adequate and verifiable information disclosing the views of any indigenous peoples, local communities and other groups that claim tenure rights in respect of the area used for the purpose of producing the relevant commodities and products regarding the production of the relevant commodities and products;
Amendment 974 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3
Article 9 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission may adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 33 to supplement paragraph 1 concerning further relevant information to be obtained and evidence to be provided that may be necessary to ensure the effectiveness of the due diligence system.
Amendment 975 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
Article 9 – paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. The Commission may adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 33 to supplement paragraph 1(d) specifying for which relevant commodities and products the operator shall provide geolocalisation points or geolocalisation polygons, or both, to ensure the effectiveness of the due diligence system,
Amendment 976 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) the assignment of riska high-risk level to the relevant country or parts thereof in accordance with Article 27;
Amendment 977 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b
(b) the presence of forests or of other natural ecosystems in the country and area of production of the relevant commodity or product;
Amendment 978 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b a (new)
(b a) the existence of claims to or disputes regarding the use of, ownership of, or exercise of customary tenure rights on the area used for the purpose of producing the relevant commodities and products, whether formally registered or not;
Amendment 979 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b b (new)
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point b b (new)
(b b) the presence of indigenous peoples, local communities and other customary tenure rights holders in the country and area of production of the relevant commodity or products;
Amendment 980 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point c
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point c
(c) prevalence of deforestation or forest, natural ecosystem conversion or forest and ecosystem degradation in the country, region and area of production of the relevant commodity or product;
Amendment 981 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) concerns in relation to the country of production and origin or part thereof, such as level of corruption, prevalence of document and data falsification, lack of law enforcement, absence, lack of enforcement or violation of rights of, or violence against, indigenous peoples, local communities or other customary tenure rights holders, as well as human rights and environmental human rights defenders, weak governance, armed conflict or presence of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council or the Council of the European Union;
Amendment 982 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point g
Article 10 – paragraph 2 – point g
(g) the risk of mixing with products of unknown origin or produced in areas where deforestation or forest degradation has, ecosystem conversion or forest and ecosystem degradation, as well as violations of the relevant law have occurred or isare occurring;
Amendment 983 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 3
Article 10 – paragraph 3
3. Wood products which are in scope of Council Regulation (EC) No 2173/2005 that are covered by a valid FLEGT license from an operational licensing scheme shall be deemed to be in compliance with the rules applicable in the country of production, as defined in Article 3(b2(28)(a) of this Regulation.
Amendment 984 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 4
Article 10 – paragraph 4
4. Except where the analysis undertaken in accordance with paragraph 1 allows the operator to ascertain that there is no or negligible risk that the relevant commodities or products are not compliant with the requirements of this Regulation, the operator shall adopt prior to placing the relevant commodities and products on the Union market or to their export risk mitigation procedures and measures that are adequate to reach no or negligible risk. This may include requiring additional information, data or documents, undertaking independent surveys or audits, capacity-building and financial investments for smallholders or other measures pertaining to information requirements set out in Article 9.
Amendment 985 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 10 – paragraph 8
Article 10 – paragraph 8
8. The Commission may adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 33 to supplement paragraphs 2, 4, 6 and 67a as regards relevant information to be obtained, risk assessment criteria and risk mitigation measures that may be necessary to supplement those referred to in this Article to ensure the effectiveness of the due diligence system.
Amendment 986 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 1
Article 11 – paragraph 1
1. In order to exercise due diligence in accordance with Article 8, operators shall establish and keep up to date a due diligence system to ensure that they can guarantee compliance with the requirements set out in Article 3(a),(b) and (bc). The due diligence system shall be reviewed at least once a year and if necessary adapted to and accounting for new developments which may influence the exercise of due diligence when operators become aware of them. Operators shall keep record of updates in the due diligence system(s) for 5 years.
Amendment 987 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2
Article 11 – paragraph 2
2. Unless otherwise provided by other EU legislative instruments that lay down requirements regarding sustainability value chain due diligence, operators which are not SMEOperators shall, on an annual basis, publicly report as widely as possible, including on the internet, on their due diligence system including on the steps taken by them to implement their obligations as set out in Article 8, 9 and 10, as well as the implementation and outcomes of their due diligence, and measures they have taken to support the compliance of smallholders, including through investments and capacity building. Operators falling also within the scope of other EU legislative instruments that lay down requirements regarding value chain due diligence may fulfil their reporting obligations under this paragraph by including the required information when reporting in the context of other EU legislative instruments.
Amendment 988 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 11 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Reports shall, in respect of relevant commodities and products supplied by each supplier: (a) include the information described in Articles 9(1)(a) to (e); (b) describe the information and evidence obtained and used to assess the compliance of the relevant commodities and products with Articles 3(a), (b) and (c); (c) state the conclusions of the risk assessment conducted under Article 10(1) and describe any risk mitigation procedures or measures undertaken pursuant to Article 10(4); (d) the date and place where relevant commodities and products were placed on or exported from the Union market; and (e) provide evidence of consultation of indigenous peoples, local communities, and other customary tenure rights holders that are present in the area of production of the relevant commodities and products.
Amendment 989 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 11 a (new)
Article 11 a (new)
Article 11 a Guidelines for Operators and Traders Without prejudice to the obligations of operators and traders to exercise due diligence as set out in Article 8, the Commission shall provide guidance in the form of non-exhaustive lists of relevant rules applicable to the production of relevant commodities and products in the countries of origin and of production or parts thereof in order to facilitate compliance with the requirements of this Regulation. Such guidance shall be developed in consultation with the countries concerned and all relevant stakeholders, including civil society, indigenous peoples, local communities and smallholders, and take into account the aims of this Regulation stated in Article 1 and measures and existing processes considered to be best practice, which may form part of a structured dialogue conducted pursuant to Article 28.
Amendment 990 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 12
Article 12
Amendment 991 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 4
Article 13 – paragraph 4
4. Member States shall ensure that the competent authorities have adequate powers, functional independence and resources to perform the obligations set out in Chapter 3 of this Regulation.
Amendment 992 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 5
Article 13 – paragraph 5
5. Without prejudice to the operators’ obligation to exercise due diligence as set out in Article 8, Member States may provide technical and other assistance and guidance to operators, taking into account the situation of SMEs, in order to facilitate compliance with the requirements of this Regulation. Such assistance shall be without prejudice to the powers of competent authorities to enforce this regulation.
Amendment 993 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 6
Article 13 – paragraph 6
6. Member States, mayshall facilitate the exchange and dissemination of relevant information, in particular with a view to assisting operators in assessing risk as set out in Article 9, and on best practices regarding the implementation of this Regulation.
Amendment 994 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 13 – paragraph 7
Article 13 – paragraph 7
7. Assistance shall be provided by entities that are functionally and structurally separated from competent authorities, in a manner which does not compromise the independence, legal obligations and responsibilities of competent authorities in enforcing this Regulation.
Amendment 995 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 3
Article 14 – paragraph 3
3. To carry out the checks referred to in paragraph 1, the competent authorities shall establish a plan based on a risk-based approach. The plan, which shall be made public, shall contain at least risk criteria to carry out the risk analysis under paragraph 4 and thereby inform the decisions on checks. In establishing and reviewing the risk criteria, the competent authorities shall take into account in particular the assignment of risk to countries or parts thereof in accordance with Article 27, the history of complianceprevious failures of an operator or trader with this Regulation and any other relevant information. Based on the results of the checks andto ensure compliance with this Regulation, the quantity of relevant commodities and products being placed or made available on the market by the operator or trader, the experience on implementation of the plans, theod of time since the risk assessment for the relevant commodities or products was completent authorities shall review those plans and risk criteria on a regular basis in order to improve their effectiveness. When reviewing the plans, the competent authorities shall establish a reduced frequency of checks for those operators and traders who have shown a consistent record of full compliance with the requirements under this Regulation. d, the proximity of the plots of land on which the relevant commodities and products were produced to forests and other natural ecosystems, and any other relevant information. Based on the results of the checks and the experience on implementation of the plans, the competent authorities shall review those plans and risk criteria on a regular basis in order to improve their effectiveness.
Amendment 996 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 7
Article 14 – paragraph 7
7. The suspensions referred to in paragraph 6 shall end within 37 working days unless the competent authorities, based on the result of the checks conducted within that period, conclude that they require additional time to establish whether the relevant commodities and products comply with the requirements of this Regulation. In such case, the competent authorities shall extend the period of suspension by means of additional interim measures taken under Article 21 or, in the case of relevant commodities or products entering or leaving the Union market, by notifying the customs authorities of the need to maintain the suspension under Article 24(6).
Amendment 997 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 9
Article 14 – paragraph 9
9. Each Member State shall ensure that the annual checks carried out by their competent authorities cover at least 510% of the operators placing, making available on or exporting from the Union market each of the relevant commodities on their market as well as 5at least 10% of the quantity of each of the relevant commodities placed or made available on or exported from their market.
Amendment 998 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 11
Article 14 – paragraph 11
11. Without prejudice to the checks under paragraphs 5 and 6, competent authorities shall, without undue delay, conduct checks referred to in paragraph 1 when they are in possession of evidence or other relevant information, including based on substantiated concerns provided by third parties under Article 29, concerning potential non-compliance with this Regulation.
Amendment 999 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 12
Article 14 – paragraph 12
12. Checks shall be carried out without prior warning of the operator or trader, except where prior notification of the operator or trader is necessary in order to ensure the effectiveness of the checks.
Amendment 1000 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 14 – paragraph 13 a (new)
Article 14 – paragraph 13 a (new)
13 a. Records of checks carried out under this regulation and reports of their results and outcomes shall constitute environmental information for the purpose of Directive 2003/4/EC and shall be made available upon request.
Amendment 1001 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 1
Article 18 – paragraph 1
1. Competent authorities shall cooperate with each other, with customs and other relevant authorities from other Member States, with the Commission, with civil society organisations and trade unions, and if necessary, with administrative authorities of third countries in order to ensure compliance with this Regulation.
Amendment 1002 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 18 – paragraph 4
Article 18 – paragraph 4
4. Competent authorities shall immediately alert competent authorities of other Member States and the Commission when they detect an actual or potential infringement of this Regulation and serious shortcomings that may affect more than one Member State. Competent authorities shall, in particular, inform competent authorities of other Member States when they detect a relevant commodity or product on the market that is, or may be, not compliant with this Regulation, to enable the withdrawal or recall of such commodity or product from sales in all Member States or to support enforcement action by these competent authorities.
Amendment 1003 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 1
Article 19 – paragraph 1
1. Member States shall make available to the public and the Commission, at the latest by 30 April of each year, information on the application of this Regulation during the previous calendar year. This information shall include their plans for checks and the risk criteria on which they are based, the number and the results of the controlhecks carried out on operators and traders, including the contents of these checkresults of these checks, the number and the result of the controls carried out on relevant commodities and products including the results of these controls, the volume of relevant commodities and products checked in relation to the total quantity of relevant commodities and products placed on the market, the countries of origin and of production of relevant commodities and products as well as the measures taken in case of non-compliance and the costs of controls recoveredoperators and traders against whom such measures were taken as well as the trading name of the non-compliant products, the costs of enforcement activities recovered in each instance, and operators and traders who failed to fulfil their obligations under this regulation and against whom an administrative authority or court has imposed penalties in line with Article 23 which are final within the proceeding four years, including the trading name of the relevant non-compliant products.
Amendment 1004 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2
Article 19 – paragraph 2
2. The Commission services shall make publicly available, on an annual basis, a Union-wide overview of the application of this Regulation based on the data submitted by the Member States under paragraph 1. Based on this report, the Commission shall issue recommendations to competent authorities to ensure the uniform application of this Regulation.
Amendment 1005 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Member States shall notify the Commission without undue delay about any administrative or criminal sanction or penalty, including in the form of a formal warning, imposed on operators or traders for infringing their obligations under this Regulation.
Amendment 1006 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. The Commission shall publish in the Official Journal of the European Union a list of operators and traders identified in accordance with paragraph 2a that have failed to fulfil their obligations under this Regulation and the trading name of the relevant non- compliant products. The operator or trader concerned shall be informed of its inclusion. The list shall be made publicly available on the website of the Commission and regularly updated.
Amendment 1007 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2 c (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 2 c (new)
2 c. The Commission shall remove an operator or trader from the list of contravening operators and traders after one year at the earliest if the Member State has notified the Commission that the operator or trader has taken sufficient remedial action, including full payment of penalties and improvements to its due diligence system and if no further reports of sanctions or administrative or criminal proceedings concerning alleged contravening activity have been reported by the respective Member State authority. The Commission shall publish in its annual report a short justification for each operator or trader that has been removed from the list.
Amendment 1008 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 19 – paragraph 2 d (new)
Article 19 – paragraph 2 d (new)
2 d. Without prejudice to paragraphs 1 to 2b, Member States and the Commission shall ensure that the public can enjoy unrestricted access to information relating to the application of this regulation on the basis of Directive 2003/4/EC and Regulation (EC) 1367/2006.
Amendment 1010 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 21 – paragraph 1
Article 21 – paragraph 1
Where, on the basis of the examination of evidence or other relevant information, including based on information exchanged under Article 18and substantiated concerns provided by third parties under Article 29, or following the checks referred to in Article 15 and 16, possible serious shortcomingsinfringement of this regulation have been detected, or risks have been identified pursuant to Article 14(6), the competent authorities may take immediate interim measures, including seizure or suspension of the placing or making available on and exporting from the Union market of the relevant commodities and products.
Amendment 1011 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 1
Article 22 – paragraph 1
1. Without prejudice toIn addition to the imposition of penalties in line with Article 23, where competent authorities establish that an operator or trader has not complied with its obligations under this Regulation or that a relevant commodity or product is not compliant with this Regulation, they shall without delay require the relevant operator or trader to take appropriate and proportionate corrective action to bring the non-compliance to an end within a specified and reasonable period of time.
Amendment 1012 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d
(d) destroying the relevant commodity or product or, whenever possible, donating it to charitable or public interest purposes.
Amendment 1013 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 22 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(d a) addressing any shortcoming in the due diligence system which may have led to the non compliance, in view of preventing the risk of further infringements.
Amendment 1014 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 22 – paragraph 3
Article 22 – paragraph 3
3. If the operator or trader fails to takcomplete the corrective action referred to in paragraph 2 within the period of time specified by the competent authority under paragraph 1, or where the non- compliance referred to in paragraph 1 persists after that period of time ends, competent authorities shall ensure that the relevant commodity or product is withdrawn or recalled, or that its being made available on or exported from the Union market is prohibited or restricted.
Amendment 1015 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) fines proportionate to the environmental damage and the value of the relevant commodities or products concerned, calculating the level of such fines in such way as to make sure that they effectively deprive those responsible of the economic benefits derived from their infringements, and gradually increasing the level of such fines for repeated infringements; the maximum amount of such fines shall be at least 4 % of the operators or trader’s annual turnover in the Member State or Member States concernedUnion, calculated in accordance with Article 5(1) of Regulation (EC) 139/2004;
Amendment 1016 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d a (new)
(d a) in case of serious or repeated infringement, suspension of the right to submit a due diligence statement in view of placing relevant commodities and products on the Union market, or of exporting them;
Amendment 1017 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d b (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d b (new)
(d b) recall of relevant commodities or products offered for sale including at retailers;
Amendment 1018 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d c (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 2 – point d c (new)
(d c) criminal sanctions, in accordance with the Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of the environment through criminal law and replacing Directive 2008/99/EC.
Amendment 1019 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 23 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Operators failing to comply with the duties of this Regulation shall also be liable and obliged to compensate for the harm that the exercise of due diligence would have avoided. The action to establish liability shall be filed before the relevant jurisdiction by any natural or legal person with a legitimate interest to do so.
Amendment 1020 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 23 a (new)
Article 23 a (new)
Article 23 a Guidelines for Competent Authorities In order to ensure the uniform application of the obligations listed in this Chapter, notably the checks on operators and traders, the European Commission shall issue guidance to all competent authorities no later than 6 months after the entry into force of this Regulation.
Amendment 1021 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 1
Article 26 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall develop an electronic interface based on the EU Single Window Environment for Customs to enable the transmission of data, in particular the notifications and requests referred to in Article 24, paragraphs 5 to 8, between national customs systems and the information system referred to in Article 31. This electronic interface shall be in place at the latest fourno later than one years from the date of adoption of the relevant implementingdelegated act referred to in paragraph 3.
Amendment 1022 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 26 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The Commission mayshall develop an electronic interface based on the EU Single Window Environment for Customs to enable:
Amendment 1023 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 26 – paragraph 3
Article 26 – paragraph 3
3. The Commission shall adopt implementingdelegated acts specifying the details of implementation arrangements for paragraphs 1 and 2 and, in particular, defining the data, including its format, to be transmitted in accordance with paragraphs 1 and 2. The implementingdelegated acts may also determine that certain specific data available in the due diligence statement and necessary for activities of customs authorities, including surveillance and fight against fraud, is transmitted and registered in EU and national customs systems. Those implementingdelegated acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 34(2)3.
Amendment 1024 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 1
Article 27 – paragraph 1
1. This Regulation establishes a threewo- tier system for the assessment of countries or parts thereof. Unless identified in accordance with this Article as presenting a low or high risk, countries shall be considered as presenting a standard risk. The Commission may identify countries or parts thereof that present a low or high risk of producing relevant commodities or products that are not compliant with Article 3, point (a). The list of the countries or parts thereof that present a low or high risk shall be published by means of implementing act(s) to be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure referred to in Article 34(2). That list shall be updated as necessary in light of new evidence.
Amendment 1025 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. The identification of low and high risk countries or parts thereof pursuant to paragraph 1 shall follow a transparent assessment process which shall take into account information provided by the country concerned and by third parties, including indigenous peoples, local communities and civil society organisations and be based on the following assessment criteria:
Amendment 1026 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point a
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point a
(a) rate of deforestation, ecosystem conversion, and ecosystem and forest degradation,
Amendment 1027 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point e
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point e
(e) agreements and other instruments concluded between the country concerned and the Union that address deforestation or forest degradation and facilitates compliance of relevant commodities and products with the requirements of this Regulation and their effective implementation, provided that their timely and effective implementation has been ascertained on the basis of an objective and transparent assessment;
Amendment 1028 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point f
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point f
(f) whether the country concerned has national or subnational laws in place, including in accordance with Article 5 of the Paris Agreement, and takes effective enforcement measures and relevant law in accordance with Article 2(28) of this regulation, and takes effective enforcement measures to ensure that those laws are implemented and to avoid and sanction activities leading to deforestation and forest, ecosystem conversion and forest and ecosystem degradation, and in particular whether sanctions of sufficient severity to deprive of the benefits accruing from deforestation or forest degradation, ecosystem degradation or forest and ecosystem degradation or non- compliance with the rules applicable in the country of production described in Article 2(28) are applied.
Amendment 1029 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point f a (new)
(f a) whether the national and sub- national jurisdiction has developed jurisdictional approaches with the meaningful engagement of all relevant stakeholders, including civil society, indigenous peoples and local communities, women, and the private sector, including micro enterprises, SMEs and smallholders, to tackle deforestation, forest degradation, natural ecosystem conversion and degradation, land rights violations and illegal production;
Amendment 1030 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point f b (new)
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point f b (new)
(f b) whether the country concerned makes relevant data available transparently;
Amendment 1031 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point f c (new)
Article 27 – paragraph 2 – point f c (new)
(f c) if applicable, the existence, compliance with, and effective enforcement of laws protecting the rights of indigenous peoples, local communities and other customary tenure rights holders;
Amendment 1032 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
Article 27 – paragraph 3 – introductory part
3. The Commission shall notify the countries concerned of its intent to assign a change to the existing risk category and invite them to provide any information deemed useful in this regard. It shall also carry out a public consultation to gather information and views from all interested parties, including in particular indigenous peoples and local communities as well as civil society organisations, including trade unions. The Commission shall allow the countries and other interested parties adequate time to provide a response, which may include information on measures taken by the country to remedy the situation in case its status or the status of parts thereof might be changed to a higher risk category.
Amendment 1033 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
Article 27 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part
It shall include in the notification, and in the consultation, the following information:
Amendment 1034 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c
Article 27 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point c
(c) the consequences of its identification as a high or low risk country.
Amendment 1035 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 27 – paragraph 4 a (new)
Article 27 – paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. The Commission shall aim to develop joint roadmaps with countries identified as high-risk to support continuous improvement towards a lower level of risk, including through partnerships and cooperation mechanisms as referred to in Article 28. The Commission shall ensure that indigenous peoples, local communities and civil society, including trade unions, are involved in the development of joint roadmaps.
Amendment 1036 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 1
Article 28 – paragraph 1
1. The Commission shall engage with producer countries concerned by this Regulation to develop partnerships and cooperation to jointly address deforestation and forestthe root causes of deforestation, ecosystem conversion and forest and ecosystem degradation. Such partnerships and cooperation mechanisms wishall be supported with adequate resources and shall focus on the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of forests, deforestation, forest degradaecosystem conversion, forest and ecosystem degradation, human rights protection and the transition to sustainable commodity production, consumption processing and trade methods, good governance, as well as protecting the rights and livelihoods and subsistence of forest dependent communities including indigenous peoples, local communities, other customary tenure rights holders and smallholders. Partnerships and cooperation mechanisms may include structured dialogues, support programmes and actions, administrative arrangements and provisions in existing agreements or agreements that enable producer countries to make the transition to an agricultural production that facilitates the compliance of relevant commodities and products with the requirements of this regulation. They should be based on time bound milestones agreed with local stakeholders Such agreements and their effective implementation will be taken into account as part of the benchmarking under Article 27 of this Regulation.
Amendment 1037 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 2
Article 28 – paragraph 2
2. Partnerships and cooperation should allow and monitor the full participation of all stakeholders, including civil society, indigenous people, local communities, women, and the private sector including micro enterprises, SMEs and smallholders. Partnerships and cooperation should support or initiate inclusive and participatory dialogue toward national legal and governance reform processes to enhance forest governance and address domestic factors contributing to deforestation, natural ecosystem conversion and forest and ecosystem degradation.
Amendment 1038 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 3
Article 28 – paragraph 3
3. Partnerships and cooperation shall promote the development of integrated land use planning processes, relevant legislations, fiscal incentives and other pertinent tools to improve forest and biodiversity conservation, sustainable management and restoration of forests, tackle the conversion of forests and vulnerable ecosystems to other land uses, optimise gains for the landscape, tenure security, agriculture productivity and competitiveness, transparent supply chains and traceability, protect the rights of ownership, tenure and access to land, including rights of tree tenure for local and indigenous communities, an the right to give or withhold free, prior and informed consent, strengthen the rights of forest dependent communities including smallholders, indigenous peoples and local communities, andstrengthen national systems of governance and law enforcement, ensure public access to forest management documents and other relevant information and support smallholders in third countries to comply with the requirements of this Regulation and facilitate their access to the EU market.
Amendment 1039 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 28 – paragraph 4
Article 28 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall engage in international bilateral and multilateral discussion on policies and actions to halt deforestation and forest degradation, including in multilateral fora such as Convention on Biological Diversity, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, United Nations Environment Assembly, United Nations Forum on Forests, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, World Trade Organisation, G7 and G20. Such engagement shall include the promotion of the transition to sustainable agricultural production and sustainable forest management as well as the development of transparent and sustainable supply chains as well as continue efforts towards identifying and agreeing robust standards and definitions that ensure a high level of protection of forest ecosystems and other natural ecosystems and related human rights.
Amendment 1040 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 2
Article 29 – paragraph 2
2. Competent authorities shall diligently and impartially assess the substantiated concerns and take the necessary steps, including checks and hearings of operators and traders, with a view to detecting potential breaches of the provisions of this Regulation and, where appropriatecircumstances indicate a breach has likely occurred, interim measures under Article 21 to prevent the placing making available on and export from the Union market of relevant commodities and products under investigation.
Amendment 1041 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 29 – paragraph 3
Article 29 – paragraph 3
3. The competent authority shall, as soon as possiblewithin 30 days of receiving a substantiated concern, and in accordance with the relevant provisions of national law, inform the natural or legal persons referred to in paragraph 1, which submitted observations to the authority, of its assessment of their substantiated concern pursuant to paragraph 2 and the decision to accede to or refuse the request for action and shall provide the reasons for it, and shall, where further action is taken pursuant to paragraph 2, inform the natural or legal person of the further action taken and the outcome within 60 days of receiving the substantiated concern.
Amendment 1042 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Any such procedure shall be fair, equitable, timely and not prohibitively expensive as well as provide adequate and effective remedies, including injunctive relief where appropriate.
Amendment 1043 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 30 – paragraph 2 b (new)
Article 30 – paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Member States shall ensure that practical information is made available to the public on access to administrative and judicial review procedures.
Amendment 1044 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 31 – paragraph 4
Article 31 – paragraph 4
4. The Commission shall provide access to that information system to customs authorities, competent authorities, operators and traders in accordance with their respective obligations under this Regulation. Producers, including smallholders, should be granted access to all information which concern them.
Amendment 1045 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 1
Article 32 – paragraph 1
1. No later than two years after the entry into force, the Commission shall carry out a first review of this Regulation, and shall present a report to the European Parliament and the Council accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal. The report shall focus in particular on an evaluation of the need and the feasibilityadditional measures to strengthen the protection of forests, natural ecosystems and human rights and ofn extending the scope of this Regulation to other ecosystems, including land with high carbon stocks and land with a high biodiversity value such as grasslands, peatlands and wetlands and further commoditiefinancial institutions operating in the Union that provide financial services to natural or legal persons whose economic activities consist, or are linked to, the production, supply, placing on or export from the EU market of relevant commodities and products.
Amendment 1046 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
Article 32 – paragraph 2 – introductory part
2. No later than five years after the entry into force and at least every five years thereafter, the Commission shall carry out a general review of this Regulation, and shall present a report to the European Parliament and the Council accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal. The first of the reports shall include in particular, based on specific studies, an evaluation of:
Amendment 1048 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 2 – point b
Article 32 – paragraph 2 – point b
Amendment 1049 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 2 a (new)
Article 32 – paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. The Commission shall permanently monitor the impacts of this regulation on vulnerable stakeholders such as smallholders, indigenous peoples and local communities, especially in third countries, also paying particular regard to the situation of women. The monitoring shall be based on a scientific and transparent methodology and shall take into account information provided by the interested stakeholders, such as third countries, intergovernmental, non- governmental, civil society and smallholder organisations, as well as indigenous peoples and local communities, including through multi- stakeholder dialogues. No later than three years from the date of application referred to in Article 36(2), the Commission shall propose measures, taking into account the outcomes of the monitoring process aiming at supporting these stakeholders, in particular to: a) Ensure that their production methods and scale are able to comply with the sustainability criteria set out in the regulation, and that their commodities and products are traceable and their origin transparent; b) Promote, when necessary, their transition towards, and the maintaining of, socially and environmentally sustainable agricultural practices which do not make them exclusively dependent on commodity production for export but support a transition focused on agro- ecology; c) Facilitate and support their inclusion in supply chains leading to the EU internal market by creating conditions and incentives that enable them to comply with the EU regulatory requirements; d) Provide support and incentives for them to conserve their forests and natural ecosystems on their lands that are used for commodity production; e) Ensure that the rights of indigenous peoples and other local communities with tenure rights are adequately protected.
Amendment 1050 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 3
Article 32 – paragraph 3
3. Without prejudice to the general review under paragraph 1, a first review of Annex I shall be carried out by the Commission no later than two years after the entry into force of this Regulation, and thereafter at regular intervals in order to assess whether it is appropriate to amend or extend the relevant productcommodities listed in Annex I in order to ensure that all products that contain, have been fed with or have been made using relevant commodities are included in that list, unless the demand for those products has a negligible effect on deforestae broadest application to commodities linked to deforestation, ecosystem conversion and forest and ecosystem degradation, including fossil fuel and minerals extraction. The reviews shall be based on an assessment of the effect of the relevant commodities and products on deforestation and forest, ecosystem conversion and forest and ecosystem degradation, and take into account changes in consumption, as indicated by scientific evidence.
Amendment 1051 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 32 – paragraph 4
Article 32 – paragraph 4
4. Following a review as set out in paragraph 3, the Commission may adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 33 to amend Annex I to include relevant products that contain or have been made usingadditional relevant commodities.
Amendment 1052 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 33 – paragraph 4
Article 33 – paragraph 4
4. Before adopting a delegated act, the Commission shall consult stakeholders and experts designated by each Member State in accordance with the principles laid down in the Interinstitutional Agreement of 13 April 2016 on Better Law-Making.
Amendment 1053 #
Proposal for a regulation
Article 34
Article 34
Amendment 1054 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 1
Annex I – paragraph 1
Goods as classified in the Combined Nomenclature set out in Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87, referred to as "relevant commodities" in Article 1 of this Regulation68 : Bovine, cocoa, coffee, maize, natural rubber (including natural rubber, balata, gutta-percha, guayule, chicle and similar natural gums), oil palm, poultry, soya, sheep and goats, swine, wood. In accordance with Article 1, the Regulation shall apply to all goods that contain, have been fed with or have been made using “relevant commodities” or products deriving from them, and are therein referred to as “relevant products”. An indicative list of these products is provided in the table included in this Annex. __________________ 68 The nomenclature codes are taken from the Combined Nomenclature as defined in Article 1(2) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87 of 23 July 1987 on the tariff and statistical nomenclature and on the Common Customs Tariff and as set out in Annex I thereto, which are valid at the time of publication of this Regulation and mutatis mutandis as amended by subsequent legislation.
Amendment 1055 #
Proposal for a regulation
Annex I – paragraph 2 a (new)
Annex I – paragraph 2 a (new)
Indicative list of “relevant products”, as classified in the Combined Nomenclature set out in Annex I to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2658/87: