Time’s up: EUDR webinar - speakers announced - how ready is cocoa?

Although there are three pieces of legislation to the bill: Deforestation; Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive; & Forced Labour Regulation, this latest ConfectioneryNews webinar will focus primarily on deforestation regulation, which has been in force since the law was passed in June 2023, but applicable from 30 December 2024.

Special guest speakers are:

Christoph Eisenbeiss​​

Is the head of Certifications at European organic processors and importers PRONATEC and a former Certifications Officer, Auditor, Client Manager, and Controller at organic certification organization Ecocert

Dr Kristy Leissle​​

Is a member of CN's editorial board and the Founder & CEO of African Cocoa Marketplace, Inc. She is also a renowned scholar of cocoa and chocolate; her book Cocoa (Cambridge: Polity, 2018) explores cocoa geopolitics and personal politics.

Nicko Debenham​​

Is MD of Sustainability Solutions who advises companies and organizations on sustainability, especially for smallholder farmer supply chains relating to poverty, human rights, and the environment.

With a specially invited panel, we will discuss the salient points of the EU deforestation bill, and with time running out for companies, organisations and origin countries to implement compliance, traceability, and risk assessment, we will hear from other industry leaders as to how best to create contingency plans to allow the cocoa to enter the European Union, the largest importer of cocoa beans in the world.

Need to know

Three pieces of legislation:

Regulation 2023/1115 on deforestation​

• Companies will be liable for deforestation in their supply chains
• In force since June 2023, applicable from end 2024
• Applicable to in-scope sectors of soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, and coffee
• Cut-off date 2021 for deforestation
• Not only deforestation, also compliance with national legislation
• Traceability, risk assessment and contingency plans are needed
• Fines up to 10% of turnover in EU, management liable in person
• Everyone can denounce incompliances

Companies will also be liable for human rights infringements​ and environmental issues i​n their supply chains as well as liable for forced labour​ in their supply chains

• Register for the webinar now​ to keep track of these important new developments.​