{"id":11687,"date":"2020-04-01T16:41:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-01T15:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=11687"},"modified":"2021-12-06T12:44:24","modified_gmt":"2021-12-06T11:44:24","slug":"reducing-the-eu-footprint-in-agro-commodity-trade-five-mandatory-minimum-criteria","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/publication\/reducing-the-eu-footprint-in-agro-commodity-trade-five-mandatory-minimum-criteria\/","title":{"rendered":"Reducing the EU footprint in agro commodity trade: five mandatory minimum criteria"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The European Union is embarking on an ambitious process towards policy and regulation to bring down its footprint, among others within agro commodity trade. The consumption of agro commodities such as soy, palm oil and cacao contributes to the EU\u2019s large impact on climate and biodiversity, especially through deforestation and conversion of ecosystems. Which criteria should the EU include across its policies and laws to truly reduce its footprint?<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p class=\"has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-text-color\"><em>Header photo: EU flags CC0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>\u201cThanks to voluntary initiatives in palm oil, soy and cacao, a percentage of EU trade has become more responsible<span class=\"footnote_referrer\"><a role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" onclick=\"footnote_moveToReference_11687_1('footnote_plugin_reference_11687_1_1');\" onkeypress=\"footnote_moveToReference_11687_1('footnote_plugin_reference_11687_1_1');\" ><sup id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_11687_1_1\" class=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text\">[1]<\/sup><\/a><span id=\"footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_11687_1_1\" class=\"footnote_tooltip\">See: The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/european_soy_monitor.pdf\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/european_soy_monitor.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">European Soy Monitor<\/a> (2019) and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.idhsustainabletrade.com\/publication\/the-urgency-of-action-to-tackle-tropical-deforestation\/\" target=\"_blank\">The urgency of action to tackle tropical deforestation<\/a> (2020)<\/span><\/span><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_11687_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_11687_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });<\/script>,\u201d says Heleen van den Hombergh, Senior Expert Agro Commodities at IUCN NL. \u201cBut without sustainability requirements to the total volume of all agro commodities placed on the EU market, the uptake of responsibly produced commodities remains too low, and we can expect too little effect on-the-ground.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Clear and coherent<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>A set of mandatory minimum criteria for agro commodities across EU policy and legislative efforts will help scale up sustainability and create coherent and clear messages to suppliers: from farmers to traders, feed and food producers, brands and retailers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>\u201cAlso in landscape-wide or jurisdictional approaches to responsible agro commodities in producing countries, minimum criteria can be used as guidance for target setting and agreements,\u201d says Van den Hombergh. \u201cIn this way, they will have a positive impact on forest and ecosystem conservation not only through the EU market, but also within domestic markets or China.\u201d The set of criteria should address both environmental and social concerns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Five proposed mandatory criteria<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Learning from currently voluntary commodity standards and frameworks for good business conduct, IUCN NL proposes five minimum criteria to be adopted as mandatory across EU policy and regulation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Legality<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>Verified legal compliance in the country of origin should be the very first requirement for products placed on the EU market, but this is mostly not enough to combat deforestation and climate change or rights infringements within EU value chains. Therefore four other criteria should be considered key:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. General good business practice.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>As in-country laws differ widely, following the international guidelines for responsible business practice, including the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, the OECD\/FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains, and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP), should be made mandatory. However, these guidelines remain quite general on environmental criteria. Therefore an explicit criterion 3 is crucial for the EU to attain its objectives:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Deforestation-free and conversion-free production.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>This criterion, including conservation of forests, native grasslands, wetlands, peat lands and other natural ecosystems, is necessary to combat the climate and biodiversity impact of EU consumption. Conservation efforts should prioritize existing areas crucial for their High Conservation and\/or High Carbon Stock Values.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Respect for rights.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>This requires going beyond national laws and the general human and labor rights criteria formulated in the OECD Guidelines, including respect for human rights, labor rights, and formal &amp; customary land rights, in line with UNGPs, the Sustainable Development Goals framework and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Climate- and biodiversity-smart agricultural practices.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>In addition to criterion 3, we need specific measures to avoid or restore biodiversity loss and climate impact by agro commodities. Such measures include responsible use of chemicals and sustainable soil and water management.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<p>This way, the current ambitious wave of EU policy and legislation can have a lasting positive effect on agro commodity trade.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block block-container small-12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/opinion_minimum_sustainability_criteria_for_products_on_the_european_market_march_2020.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read more in our discussion paper<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"background background-preset-primary\" id=\"block_60464668b4062\">\n             <div class=\"dark custom-padding-top\">\n    \n\n\n<div class=\"smallteam-members__name12 large-offset-1 large-10\">\n\t<div id=\"team-members-block_6046466eb4063\" class=\"team-members team-members-block block\">\n\t\t<span class=\"anchor-id\" id=\"\"><\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"team-members__title\">\n\t\t\t\t<div>Learn more?<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"team-members__body small-12 grid-x\">\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__item grid-x small-12 medium-6\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__image cell shrink\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/heleen-van-den-hombergh\/\" target=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__image-wrapper lazyload\" style=\"background-image:inherit;\" data-bg-image=\"url(&#039;https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/25IUCN-121222-scaled.jpg&#039;)\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2023\/01\/25IUCN-121222-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Heleen van den Hombergh\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 2560px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 2560\/2560;\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__info cell auto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__info-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__details\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/heleen-van-den-hombergh\/\" target=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__name\">Heleen\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tvan den Hombergh<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__jobtitle\">Senior Expert Agro-Commodities<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__email\">Email:\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"mailto:heleen.vandenhombergh@iucn.nl\">heleen.vandenhombergh@iucn.nl<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__readmore\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/heleen-van-den-hombergh\/\" target=\"\">Full profile<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"team-members__socials\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/heleen-van-den-hombergh-0185844\/?originalSubdomain=nl\" class=\"team-members__socials-icon ico-linkedin\" aria-label=\"Linkedin profile of Heleen van den Hombergh\" target=\"_blank\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/themes\/gopublic-motor-theme-child\/src\/images\/linkedin-icon.svg\" alt=\"Linkedin logo\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"speaker-mute footnotes_reference_container\"> <div class=\"footnote_container_prepare\"><h2><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_label pointer\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_11687_1();\">Index<\/span><span role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" class=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button\" style=\"display: none;\" onclick=\"footnote_expand_collapse_reference_container_11687_1();\">[<a id=\"footnote_reference_container_collapse_button_11687_1\">+<\/a>]<\/span><\/h2><\/div> <div id=\"footnote_references_container_11687_1\" style=\"\"><table class=\"footnotes_table footnote-reference-container\"><caption class=\"accessibility\">Index<\/caption> <tbody> \r\n\r\n<tr class=\"footnotes_plugin_reference_row\"> <th scope=\"row\" class=\"footnote_plugin_index_combi pointer\"  onclick=\"footnote_moveToAnchor_11687_1('footnote_plugin_tooltip_11687_1_1');\"><a id=\"footnote_plugin_reference_11687_1_1\" class=\"footnote_backlink\"><span class=\"footnote_index_arrow\">&#8593;<\/span>1<\/a><\/th> <td class=\"footnote_plugin_text\">See: The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/european_soy_monitor.pdf\" data-type=\"URL\" data-id=\"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/app\/uploads\/2021\/03\/european_soy_monitor.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">European Soy Monitor<\/a> (2019) and <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.idhsustainabletrade.com\/publication\/the-urgency-of-action-to-tackle-tropical-deforestation\/\" target=\"_blank\">The urgency of action to tackle tropical deforestation<\/a> (2020)<\/td><\/tr>\r\n\r\n <\/tbody> <\/table> <\/div><\/div><script type=\"text\/javascript\"> function footnote_expand_reference_container_11687_1() { jQuery('#footnote_references_container_11687_1').show(); 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jQuery('html, body').animate({ scrollTop: l_obj_Target.offset().top - window.innerHeight * 0.2 }, 380); } }<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The European Union is embarking on an ambitious process towards policy and regulation to bring down its footprint, among others within agro commodity trade. The consumption of agro commodities such as soy, palm oil and cacao contributes to the EU\u2019s large impact on climate and biodiversity, especially through deforestation and conversion of ecosystems. Which criteria [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":11689,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[182,193,197,196],"class_list":["post-11687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-publication","tag-green-livelihoods-alliance-nl","tag-palm-oil","tag-responsible-value-chains","tag-soy"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11687"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":61619,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11687\/revisions\/61619"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}