HAMBURG, Germany – The coffee industry is on the verge of a transformative era with the imminent enforcement of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) from 30 December 2024. This regulation mandates due diligence to ensure that coffee imported into or exported from the EU is cultivated in a deforestation-free manner and in compliance with local laws. Many companies are looking for solutions to fulfil the requirements of the EUDR.
In response, the German Coffee Association, in collaboration with GRAS Global Risk Assessment Services, proudly published a tailor-made service. The German Coffee Association and GRAS now also roll out this service offer to non-members.
The free online event on April 25th 2024 11.00 am to 12 pm (GMT +2) will unveil the innovative tool to international enterprises.
Holger Preibisch, CEO of the German Coffee Association, states: “As a coffee industry, we are proud to be pioneers in the field of sustainability and now offer a comprehensive EUDR toolkit. We support efforts to enhance the sustainability of supply chains, while also voicing constructive criticism on certain aspects of the EU regulation.”
Norbert Schmitz, Managing Director of GRAS, is delighted that the German Coffee Association has chosen GRAS to develop the EUDR toolkit: “GRAS has several years of experience with the science-based verification of deforestation free supply chains. Our risk assessments entail also social and ecological criteria. With great enthusiasm we apply our knowledge in a joint development process with the German Coffee Association and its member companies to address the upcoming regulatory challenges.”
During the online event the German Coffee Association introduces the service tool EUDR Coffee Check aimed at facilitating compliance with the EUDR which will be accessible for non-members. The EUDR Coffee Check is an innovative tool specifically designed for the coffee industry, allowing members to verify and document the deforestation-free origin and legally compliant production of coffee.
More information on the EUDR Coffee Check is available here.
The German Coffee Association will unveil the services internationally on April 25th, 2024 from 11.00 am to 12 pm (GMT +2). Click here to register for free for the online event. For more info, click here.
What is the EUDR?
The recently introduced European Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 concerning deforestation-free products (EUDR) seeks to encourage the use of products that are free from deforestation and minimize the EU’s contribution to global deforestation and forest degradation.
The regulation is anticipated to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss by banning the import of coffee that is not provenly deforestation-free and requiring comprehensive documentation of due diligence practices.
Under this regulation, only deforestation-free coffee produced in adherence to the relevant laws of the origin country is authorized for import, sale within the EU, and export from the EU. The cut-off date for deforestation is set at December 31, 2020, and a rigorous due diligence process is mandated.
This process includes activities such as information gathering, risk assessment, and risk mitigation. Additionally, the due diligence process must consider various factors such as the presence of indigenous peoples, labor rights, human rights, land use rights, and other pertinent aspects.
The regulation came into force on 29 June, 2023 and its full implementation commences on December 30, 2024. For small and medium-size enterprises the application starts on 30 June, 2025.
About the German Coffee Association
For over 50 years, the German Coffee Association has represented the interests of companies and organizations that trade, process, or otherwise deal with coffee in Germany. It unites more than 360 companies along the coffee value chain – including sustainability organizations, coffee traders and brokers, coffee roasters, soluble coffee producers, decaffeination industries, coffee and roasting machine manufacturers, logisticians, and laboratories.
