EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products: Reference Document for Cocoa Producers and Importers

This guidance document has been developed to support cocoa companies, but especially importers and producers, in meeting emerging Deforestation Due Diligence (DDD) regulations. The guidance highlights, using existing examples such as the Cocoa & Forests Initiative (CFI), that landscape and jurisdictional initiatives are a key tool that can help companies to meet DDD requirements. Initiatives at this scale have or will develop landscape or jurisdictional-level monitoring systems that can feed directly into the DDD reporting, as well as management plans that can act as a mitigation mechanism.

Beyond landscape and jurisdictional level initiatives, more tools and best practice examples are synthesized throughout the guidance that can support companies in meeting DDD regulations. This includes international certification schemes from the Rainforest Alliance and EU Organic, as well as company systems and sustainability programmes such as Mondelēz International’s Cocoa Life programme and Cargill’s Cocoa Promise.

The guidance document also provides an overview of what DDD is, breaks down key terms and components in the process, and how to approach regulation using six steps. From initial information collection through supply chain mapping exercises through to reporting on DDD. This guidance does not focus on a specific DDD regulation but mostly contains references to the EU proposed regulation, as it is the most developed and complete example.

In addition to this reference document, Proforest have developed operational guidance intended for cocoa supply chain companies, focusing on compliance with the DDD regulation proposed by the EU Commission. This can be found here.