17.06.2024
Swiss Federal Council should stop imported deforestation
From the end of 2024, the EU will ban imports of palm oil, soya, cocoa, coffee, beef, rubber and wood from deforestation. Switzerland is lagging behind the EU. A petition launched today aims to change this.
(Basel, Zurich, Bern) The Bruno Manser Fund, supported by six environmental and human rights organisations, is today launching a petition to introduce a ban on the import of raw materials and products from deforested areas.
A regulation on deforestation-free supply chains (EUDR) has been in force in the EU since June 2023. The obligations will apply to non-SMEs from 30 December 2024 and to SMEs from 30 June 2025. Specifically, raw materials and products that are imported into or exported from the EU must not be associated with deforestation. This includes palm oil, soya, cocoa, coffee, beef, rubber and wood.
There is no corresponding regulation in Switzerland, although the WWF already disclosed the extent of deforestation imported by Switzerland in 2020. For example, the Swiss import of wood, pulp and paper alone requires 1.5 million hectares of land every year, an area that exceeds Switzerland's entire forest area.
Without appropriate regulation, Switzerland not only runs the risk of losing orders, but also damages Switzerland's reputation in particular. It would be easy for the Federal Council to issue an ordinance corresponding to the EUDR on the basis of Art. 35e para. 3 USG. The Bruno Manser Fund therefore calls on the Federal Council to act promptly and ban the import of deforestation products in Switzerland as well.