{"id":58134,"date":"2025-01-31T03:37:45","date_gmt":"2025-01-31T09:37:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:dev.cafeimports.com\/blog\/?p=58134"},"modified":"2025-01-31T07:54:12","modified_gmt":"2025-01-31T13:54:12","slug":"navigating-eudr-part-2-overtime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/2025\/01\/31\/navigating-eudr-part-2-overtime\/","title":{"rendered":"Navigating EUDR Part 2: Overtime"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[et_pb_section fb_built=&#8221;1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;3_5,2_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><strong>By Devon Barker &#8211; Sustainability &amp; Stakeholder Engagement<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The ink has dried and<a href=\"https:\/\/ec.europa.eu\/commission\/presscorner\/detail\/en\/ip_24_5009\"> it\u2019s official<\/a>, the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has been delayed until December 30, 2025, or June 30, 2026 if you\u2019re a small to medium enterprise. You may recall that the last time I wrote about <a href=\"https:dev.cafeimports.com\/blog\/2024\/01\/12\/navigating-eudr-an-introduction-and-next-steps\/\">navigating EUDR<\/a>, I was reminded of an afternoon spent with a friend on his farm in Guatemala, listening to his observations of microclimate impacts and the changing landscape. Fast forward a few months and as coffee world grappled with how to implement the regulation, it was hard to escape the deluge of new services, sales pitches, and breaking news.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;2_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/dev-cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/image1-1.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;image1&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Timeline&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.knightlab.com\/libs\/timeline3\/latest\/embed\/index.html?source=1rplCHTG6gsQc89p0wgmQPtfF-I0PWXuQVd5koyt6kPE&amp;font=https:\/\/devonbbarker.github.io\/EUDR-TimelineJS\/font-styles.css&amp;lang=en&amp;start_at_end=true&amp;initial_zoom=2&amp;height=480\" width=\"100%\" height=\"480\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>Brazil, Colombia, and Vietnam have led the way, implementing incredible surveying and verification systems at a scale never seen before\u2014an achievement only made possible by the second space race we are currently witnessing.<\/p>\n<p>But where does this leave the rest of the world\u2019s smallholder farmers? Without assistance, they often find themselves caught in the widening technological and regulatory rift.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_heading title=&#8221;We just need the data points right?&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; title_level=&#8221;h2&#8243; title_font=&#8221;&#8211;et_global_heading_font||||||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_heading][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;2_3,1_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;2_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_testimonial _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>\u201c\u2026what we need is another cow. The compost we make now is not enough to grow more food on the farm without more manure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_testimonial][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>This stark reminder of the gap came while I was standing in a small village surrounded by 33 members of a women\u2019s coffee cooperative in the Nyamasheke district, Rwanda. Here, the supply chain revolves around farmers with one to two hectares of land, interplanting sustenance crops alongside coffee. These farmers often band together, selling coffee cherries to the closest processor\u2014called a Central Washing Stations (CWS) in Rwanda\u2014throughout the harvest, delivering cherries at various times and in different quantities as they ripen.<\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s an open market (as of 2023 and the end of the coffee zoning mandates<a href=\"#_edn1\" name=\"_ednref1\">[i]<\/a>), meaning farmers can work with any CWS they choose. The relationship between farmers and processors is built on mutual trust. Since processors aim to maintain quality and consistency, CWS often incentivize farmers to deliver coffee at optimum ripeness and provide technical assistance through quality premiums, agronomy training, composting programs, and more. This makes the CWS often the first point of contact for the data collection.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;1_3&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/dev-cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/image2.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;image2&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=&#8221;2_5,3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;2_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/dev-cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/2024_12_15_Ethiopia-29-scaled.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;2024_12_15_Ethiopia-29&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=&#8221;3_5&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>Supply chains built on this model\u2014where hundreds or even thousands of farmers sell coffee to a single washing station\u2014are common throughout East Africa. Digitizing these complex supply chains is both expensive and labor-intensive, requiring training, specialized equipment, and countless hours of fieldwork by technicians visiting each farmer<a href=\"#_edn1\" name=\"_ednref1\">[ii]<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>While large corporations can divert existing resources to make this investment, smaller organizations and individual farmers need more assistance. The extra time provided by the delay could be the difference between broader farmer inclusion and smallholders losing access to the EU market.<\/p>\n<p>Many farmers in the coffee supply chain have historically lacked access to the tools or training necessary to meet stringent compliance requirements on their own<a href=\"#_edn2\" name=\"_ednref2\">[iii]<\/a>, now more than ever the industry must step up and act together to bridge the gap. The technological and logistical challenges brought to the forefront in the push for compliance by the end of 2024, have shown where we still need to put in the most work. The EUDR, acts as a double-edged sword: promoting environmental sustainability and a global commitment to reducing deforestation, but also highlighting the urgent need for support mechanisms to help farmers adapt to changing regulatory landscape.<a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_heading title=&#8221;Where we go from here.&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; title_level=&#8221;h2&#8243; title_font=&#8221;&#8211;et_global_heading_font||||||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>There are four key actions we are advocating for to make the most of the extra time. Actions that will help everyone go into 2026 prepared.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Follow through on assistance for coffee growers who lack access to the resources necessary to comply with the regulation\u2019s technical demands.<\/li>\n<li>Establish clear pathways for coffee growers who have converted native forests to regain market access in the EU through reforestation or forest restoration programs.<\/li>\n<li>Promote interoperability and collaboration between the EU information system, third-party tools, and coffee-growing countries\u2019 internal systems to eliminate duplication of efforts.<\/li>\n<li>Provide guidance from the EU on how sensitive information\u2014such as farm locations\u2014will be safeguarded from the point of entry into the EUDR registry through to the end consumer.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>We can\u2019t overlook the huge strides that have been made in preparation over the past year. The Federaci\u00f3n Nacional de Cafeteros (FNC) in Colombia estimates they have geolocated 99% of coffee farms and obtained data consent from 73% of producers for inclusion in a national scale EUDR management system. Meanwhile Vietnam announced the launch of its EUDR Database System<a href=\"#_edn1\" name=\"_ednref1\">[iv]<\/a> for the coffee sector and beyond, the Rwanda national Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) and the Ethiopian Coffee and Tea Authority (ECTA) collaborative preparation projects with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)<a href=\"#_edn2\" name=\"_ednref2\">[v]<\/a>, and Uganda invested nine million dollars<a href=\"#_edn3\" name=\"_ednref3\">[vi]<\/a> registering and collecting data on farmers.<a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=&#8221;https:\/\/dev-cdn.cafeimports.com\/images\/image20.jpg&#8221; title_text=&#8221;image20&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p>So how do we build on this momentum? We\u2019re making the most of the year ahead by continuing to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Work with the farmers and producers in understanding their needs and helping build their capacity to meet the requirements of the changing regulatory landscape. If we can help directly by providing expertise, training, tools, or connection to resources, we will.<\/li>\n<li>Liaison with the institutions assisting in compliance efforts in every coffee producing country we source from, and advocate for unified systems and pre-competitive collaboration.<\/li>\n<li>Bolstering our customer and internal tools to collect and maintain the integrity of required due diligence data while respecting the privacy of all.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Looking beyond the political drama that has muddied the proverbial coffee cup in the last few months, the delay has significant implications for stakeholders across the value chain. From coffee growers to roasteries, the breathing room provided by the extra time is an opportunity to ensure an equitable implementation<a href=\"#_edn1\" name=\"_ednref1\">[vii]<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Want to chat about EUDR? Send us a message at: sustainability@cafeimports.com<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_heading title=&#8221;Additional Resources and Reading.&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; title_level=&#8221;h2&#8243; title_font=&#8221;&#8211;et_global_heading_font||||||||&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_heading][et_pb_text _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.intracen.org\/news-and-events\/news\/new-step-by-step-guide-on-eudr\">International Trade Centre Step-by-step EUDR guides<\/a> (I recommend you start here!)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/circabc.europa.eu\/ui\/group\/34861680-e799-4d7c-bbad-da83c45da458\/library\/e126f816-844b-41a9-89ef-cb2a33b6aa56\/details\">EUDR FAQ Sheet v3<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/green-business.ec.europa.eu\/deforestation-regulation-implementation\/eudr-myth-buster_en\">EUDR Myths vs Reality<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/circabc.europa.eu\/ui\/group\/34861680-e799-4d7c-bbad-da83c45da458\/library\/b645b754-bd2b-4841-8bbe-c102a35adb0d?p=1&amp;n=10&amp;sort=created_DESC%20\">EU Information System User Guides<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/green-business.ec.europa.eu\/deforestation-regulation-implementation\/information-system-deforestation-regulation_en\">EU Information System Training Videos<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_column type=&#8221;4_4&#8243; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][et_pb_divider _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;][\/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=&#8221;Sources&#8221; _builder_version=&#8221;4.25.0&#8243; _module_preset=&#8221;default&#8221; global_colors_info=&#8221;{}&#8221;]<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">[i]<\/a> Brian Mertens Oirere Shem, \u201cRwanda Repeals Coffee Zoning Law to Spur Production,\u201d STiR Coffee and Tea Magazine | Global Business Insight on Coffee and Tea, October 31, 2023, https:\/\/stir-tea-coffee.com\/api\/content\/04ea3bfe-77b5-11ee-a05c-12163087a831\/.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">[ii]<\/a> \u201cDigitally Transforming Supply Chains in the Coffee Industry,\u201d UNIDO, accessed January 22, 2025, https:\/\/www.unido.org\/solutions\/digitally-transforming-supply-chains-coffee-industry.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\">[iii]<\/a> \u201cCracking Coffee Regulation: The Coffee Supply Chain Challenges with EUDR Compliance | 25, Issue 22,\u201d Specialty Coffee Association, October 7, 2024, https:\/\/sca.coffee\/sca-news\/25\/issue-22\/cracking-coffee-regulation.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">[iv]<\/a> \u201cPilot of Forest-Coffee Plantation Database to Meet EU Standards Achieves Success,\u201d vietnamnews.vn, accessed January 20, 2025, https:\/\/vietnamnews.vn\/economy\/1689190\/pilot-of-forest-coffee-plantation-database-to-meet-eu-standards-achieves-success.html.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref2\" name=\"_edn2\">[v]<\/a> \u201cCombining EUDR Compliance and Sector Transformation in African Coffee,\u201d UNDP, accessed January 20, 2025, https:\/\/www.undp.org\/european-union\/stories\/combining-eudr-compliance-and-sector-transformation-african-coffee.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref3\" name=\"_edn3\">[vi]<\/a> Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit Ministerie van Landbouw, \u201cUganda Wrestles with EUDR Compliance amidst Coffee Trade Challenges &#8211; AFRICA: Uganda &#8211; Agrospecials,\u201d webpagina (Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit), accessed January 20, 2025, https:\/\/magazines.rijksoverheid.nl\/lnv\/agrospecials\/2024\/02\/uganda.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#_ednref1\" name=\"_edn1\">[vii]<\/a> \u201cDelay to EU Deforestation Rules Must Help People Transition,\u201d World Economic Forum, October 16, 2024, https:\/\/www.weforum.org\/stories\/2024\/10\/the-delay-to-eu-deforestation-rules-must-help-people-transition\/.<\/p>\n<p>[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Everyone in the supply-chain has an extra 12 months to prepare for EUDR, but how do we make the most of the time? From follow through on progress made in 2024, to stepping up international support and training, here&#8217;s what we hope to see during the delay and how we&#8217;re coming together to tackle the challenge. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":301,"featured_media":58137,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[443],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-58134","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sustainability"],"site_id":"3","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58134","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/301"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=58134"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58134\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58187,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/58134\/revisions\/58187"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/58137"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=58134"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=58134"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dev.cafeimports.com\/europe\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=58134"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}