InfoSAWIT, PUTRAJAYA – The second meeting of Ad Hoc Joint Task Force (JTF) European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in Putrajaya, Malaysia, would be very significant to solve every challenge and opportunity from European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
It was together led by the representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia, and European Commission with many stakeholders from palm oil, rubber, cocoa, wood, and coffee industries.
Vice General Secretary (Plantation and Commodity) Ministry of Plantation and Commodity Malaysia, Dato' Zailani Bin Haji Hashim said the serious challenges when EUDR was adjusted the system in Malaysia, namely the impacts for smallholders in remote areas. It encouraged policy to pay attention and technical supports that should be targeted them to obey.
Expert staff in Connectivity, Service Development, and Natural Resource Coordinator Ministry in Economy Indonesian Republic, Musdhalifah Machmud said that the Government of Indonesia is committed to implement sustainable principles based on common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC). This is the hoped to get concrete solution including the (regulation) implementation postponement for smallholders (in Indonesia).
Director of Green and Multilateralism Diplomacy European Commission, Astrid Schomaker emphasized its commitment to cooperate with Indonesia and Malaysia to EUDR implementation smoothly. Astrid also acknowledged the challenges but did welcome every effort to escalate certification and track system.
The meeting was focusing on five workstreams. The first, about smallholders’ inclusivity and acknowledged the challenges. European Union is committed to support smallholders’ inclusivity in legal and free deforestation – supply chain.
The second, relevant certification scheme which means, it should be in the form of gap analysis between Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil. The two were discussed with the commitment to reduce the gap to get adjusted with EUDR.
The third, area ownership track. In national scale, for instance, SIMS and e-MSPO Malaysia and Dashboard Nasional Indonesia were represented. European Union promised to support area ownership track in relevant commodity sectors.
The fourth, scientific data about deforestation. It focused on European Union observatory progresses about deforestation. It may happen the cooperation would be about comprehensive and accurate map development to be explored.
The fifth, data protection. The Government of Indonesia and Malaysia protested about geolocation data that was discussed. Both countries emphasized it needed to protect every data (from every party). European Union said that geolocation did not have something to do with personal data.
The meeting decided special team in every workstream with their work schedule. The result would be the inputs for the third meeting which the schedule would be in September 2024 in Brussel. The minister level- discussion would be in April with the visit of European Commissioner for Environment, Sea, and Fishery, Sinkevicius to the regions. (T2)
