Sinn Féin Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan has today slammed the decision of the European Commission to delay the implementation of the Deforestation Regulation by 12 months and raised concerns that this decision was taken to advance the ratification of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement.

The Regulation would ensure that products used by European consumers would not contribute to deforestation and address deforestation driven by land clearing. The Regulation is a key commitment as part of the European Green Deal, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Farm to Fork Strategy.

The regulation would require any operator or trader who sells goods in the EU market, or exports from it, to prove that the goods don’t come from recently deforested land or contribute to deforestation.

Speaking today, MEP Boylan said:

“The European Commission is backsliding on commitments under the European Green Deal and scaling down our climate and biodiversity ambition when we need to be rapidly scaling up.

“I am deeply concerned that this decision was taken to pave the way for the ratification of Mercosur. We know that Mercosur is a rotten trade deal that will do huge damage to people and planet.

“Irish environmentalists and Irish farmers have made it clear that they are opposed to Mercosur and Sinn Féin have consistently called on the Irish Government to formally notify the European Commission of Ireland’s opposition to this deal.

“The fact that the European Commission seems set on ramming through Mercosur at a time when Brazil is attempting to reverse deforestation rates is deeply problematic. Aligning the EU with the policies of Bolsonaro will lead to more deforestation in the Amazon and destruction of one of our most precious ecological resources.

“Greenpeace has highlighted that Mercosur is inconsistent with EU law because ratifying it will lead to increased emissions. The public deserve better than a Commission willing to place profit over the livelihoods of European farmers and over our planet.

“Deforestation is one of the greatest environmental catastrophes of our time and rolling back on regulations meant to prevent the destruction of the world’s forests denies the reality of the climate and biodiversity crisis and will set us back at a time when we need to be moving forward.

“I strongly urge the Commission to reconsider this disastrous move and fully implement the Regulation as planned.”