On the one hand, the majority of EU states spoke out on Tuesday in favor of allowing more relaxed environmental rules for farmers. This is a response to the farmers’ protests. It is primarily about biodiversity requirements (fallow land, crop rotation).
On the other hand, nothing has changed yet as Austria has to implement the EU deforestation regulation by the end of the year. Anyone who places wood and wood products, cattle or soy on the market in the EU must prove that no trees have fallen victim to this without reforestation. This is primarily intended to protect rainforests, but would also affect small forest owners.
Minister Norbert Totschnig explained yesterday at the Council of Agriculture Ministers that he, together with 20 other countries, had called for the regulation to be suspended in order to examine whether and how practical implementation was possible. The wood industry trade associations from seven EU countries, including Austria, are also opposing the regulation in this form.
