South African agribusinesses which export to the European Union
(EU) will have been keeping an eye on the increasing suite of laws
coming out of the EU that seek to clean up the sustainability
practices of entities within the global supply chains of goods
entering the EU. The EU's Corporate Sustainability Due
Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is one such example. Published on 5
July 2024, it introduces mandatory human rights and environmental
due diligence requirements for large non-EU companies exporting
into the EU.
Another example is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which
imposes due diligence obligations from 30 December 2024 aimed at
tackling deforestation in the production and export of a wide range
of commodities, including cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber,
soya, and wood. The European Commission has proposed to defer the
commencement of the EUDR to 30 December 2025; however, the proposal
has not yet been adopted by the European Parliament and
Council.
