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The European Commission has failed to provide the appropriate guidance required for companies to comply with the new legislation, despite repeated calls for clarification from industry. This uncertainty creates significant challenges for companies as they seek to invest in appropriate compliance measures. AmCham EU therefore calls on the Commission to urgently defer the date of application of the EUDR by one year. Alternatively, the Commission must at least consider a period of grace as of December 2024.

To comply with the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), companies need more guidance and detail. For a smooth and timely transition to take place, the European Commission must issue detailed FAQs, set realistic timelines and introduce meaningful thresholds, along with addressing other concerns. If the Commission is unable to address these essential elements by early-September, AmCham EU members and other economic operators will not be able to comply with the EUDR by 30 December 2024. We can safeguard forests across the EU, here’s how.

The European Commission’s Soil Monitoring and Resilience Directive (Soil Monitoring Law) rightly aims to establish a comprehensive soil monitoring framework, policymakers must refine the legislation to address farmers’ roles, farming practices and the challenges of managing soil health, including the management of nutrients, water, pests, diseases and weeds and preventing soil degradation.

A comprehensive soil health definition should take into account the function of the soil and consider a holistic and qualitative framework that includes yield, climate change mitigation, restoration and conservation of biodiversity, and conservation of water resources. It should also distinguish between natural and productive soils as well as accommodate future scientific knowledge.

Farmers also need financial support to access cost-effective, transparent and accessible methods for monitoring soil health provided or subsidised by the Commission and/or Member States.

Finally, instead of developing a prescriptive list of practices, the legislation should focus on outcomes and include a toolbox that gives farmers the flexibility to align measures to specific farm conditions and incorporate new science-proven practices.

With these revisions to support farmers in prioritising soil health and implementing sustainable soil management practices, they can improve crop yields, reduce environmental impact and contribute to a sustainable agricultural system.