US groups lobbied for two years to weaken EU deforestation law
An investigation by environmental watchdog Mighty Earth says US companies, trade groups and government officials mounted a two-year lobbying effort to delay and weaken the EU’s deforestation law. The findings matter because the law is intended to stop the EU importing goods linked to deforested land, but its implementation has already been delayed twice and its tracing requirements have been revised.
Mighty Earth identified 24 US organisations that discussed the regulation in at least 173 meetings with MEPs and 178 with senior European Commission officials between July 2024 and July 2026. They included Cargill, Bunge, Mondelēz and the US Soybean Export Council; the law covers commodities including soya, cocoa, coffee, cattle and wood, and is due to take effect in December. The companies and industry groups cited concerns about implementation and denied taking part in a concerted campaign to derail the rules.
- Mighty Earth reports more than 350 meetings on the EU deforestation law.
- US firms and trade groups say they raised implementation concerns.
- The law is due to take effect in December after two delays.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “US corporate lobbyists mounted ‘blitz’ to dilute landmark EU deforestation law, report finds”.