ITC Roundtables on Deforestation

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The International Trade Centre (ITC) is convening four rounds of private-public consultations around “Deforestation-free Global Value Chains” in priority commodities sectors, such as soy, cocoa and coffee.

Benefits

Fighting against global deforestation and forest degradation at the international level has become a worldwide priority, and the European Union is developing a proposal for a new regulation on “deforestation-free” products. The International Trade Centre (ITC) is convening four rounds of private-public consultations and development of concrete plans of actions for “Deforestation-free Global Value Chains” in priority commodities sectors, such as soy, cocoa and coffee.

Background

The roundtables aim to bring together industry stakeholders and policy-makers and achieve primarily the three following goals:

Determine the state of play in soy, cocoa and coffee sectors discussing the current situation with sourcing soy, coffee and cocoa into the EU market, responsible sourcing practices and volumes of sustainable products. Discussion will also focus on key challenges and difficulties of sourcing sustainable/deforestation-free soy, cocoa and coffee in compliance with the newly proposed EU regulation on deforestation-free products;

Unpacking methodologies and approaches to support deforestation free supply chains: an in-depth analysis and technical discussion about the existing models, technologies, their credibility parameters, and the innovative approaches explored in various sectors; in thorough review of systemic issues and gaps that have not been addressed successfully in existing initiatives;

Propose adjustments and implementation guidelines related to the new proposed regulation on deforestation-free products: highlighting differences and complexities in commodity sectors; discussing impacts and implications on value chain actors staring from producers to processors and retailers; suggesting changes that would reflect the current state of play and capacities in the concerned commodity sectors.

The four rounds of consultations will take place on:

29 March 2022, 1.30 – 3.30 pm CET: First roundtable “Producing countries considerations to deforestation-free products: the state of play in soy, cocoa and coffee sectors” – online;

5 May 2022, 1.30 – 3.30 pm CET: Second roundtable “Industry responses to deforestation: methodologies & approaches implemented in Global Value Chains” – online;

9 June 2022, 1.30 – 3.30 pm CET: Third roundtable “Implications of the new EU regulation on deforestation-free products” – online;

September 2022 (tbc): Fourth roundtable “Roadmap and practical set of recommendations to implement deforestation-free policies that are WTO compatible” – in person

Collaboration

ITC is leveraging strategic partnerships with private and public stakeholders including industry platforms active in priority commodities sectors, such as soy, cocoa and coffee. The Roundtable on Deforestation-free Global Value Chains include the European Compound Feed & Premix Industry (FEFAC), the European Coffee Federation (ECF) and the European Cocoa Association (ECA).

The project

Partnership Objective

Determine the state of play in soy, cocoa and coffee sectors, unpack methodologies and approaches to support deforestation-free supply chains and propose adjustments and implementation guidelines

Launched

2022

Sector(s):

Geographic scope:

Global

Media:

Topics

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Partners

Funded by

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