A mission jointly led by YAB Dato’ Sri Haji Fadillah bin Haji Yusof, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Plantation and Commodities of Malaysia, and H.E. Airlangga Hartarto, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, facilitated by the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), was conducted to meet with the political leaders of the European Union (EU) in Brussels at the end of May. In the meetings, both ministers expressed concerns with the newly legislated EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and reiterated the importance of commodities, particularly palm oil, to the economy and the well-being of its people in both countries in particular toward smallholders.
The European Commission underlined that its policies respond to common international commitments. The main objective would be to ensure that Europe would not drive global deforestation through its own consumption. Moreover, the EU reassured the producing countries that they would continue to be engaged during the whole process. Executive Vice President for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans, and the Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius agreed to the establishment of a consultative engagement process with both Indonesia and Malaysia to discuss ways and practical means of the implementation of EUDR.
