Islamabad- May 31st,2021: The Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) expressed its disappointmentover the notification of the Kingdom of Belgium to the European Commissionwhich proposed a ban on palm oil as a renewable source of biofuel in the near future.
The CPOPC, which comprises of Indonesia and Malaysia, andsoon of the countries of Colombia,Ghana, Honduras and Papua New Guinea, reminded Belgium of the key economicand social development role that the palm oil plays in the development of these countries and inmeeting the UN SDGs.
In the lettersaddressed to the Prime Ministerof Belgium and other Belgianhigh-level government officials and copied to the EU relevant officials,the Council also highlighted that the proposal will undermine the considerableprogress being made by the palm oil producing countries in complying with thecertification schemes that assure reliable, sustainable supply chains. This is in sharp contrastto EU’s Common Agricultural Policy to promote ofthe cultivation of oil seeds for biofuels which uses extensive chemicals andpesticides that have been proven detrimental to the environment. The alarmingdestruction of peat across Europe is also attributable to this policy.
The Council notes that in as much as the claimedjustifications are based on the environment, its promotion of these oil seedsas alternatives to palm oil disputes the EU’s claim of concern for theenvironment. The Council suspects that the EU and some member states are merely using the environment as a guise for protectionism, which is set to underminethe traditional trade between Belgium and palm oil producing countries
CPOPC further believes that the adoption of the Royal Decree would be a step back not only in the relationships between ASEAN and the EU and to international commitment of fair trade, but also the commitments on sustainability made under the ASEAN-EU Joint Working Group on Vegetable Oil. As strategic partners, both parties should utilize the JWG to define sustainable vegetable oils, including soybean, rapeseed and sunflower, by using the UN SDGs as the parameters and by applying a holistic approach to environment.
The Kingdom of Belgium can play a constructive role in addressing the palm oil issue in Belgium and the EU. CPOPC would welcome any steps in this direction, the withdrawal of the draft Royal Decree surely being one of them. Should Belgium put its proposal into enforcement, CPOPC believes that this will be a reasonable consideration for member governments of the CPOPC to review the sustainability of Belgian agricultural commodities being imported by CPOPC member countries.
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