Les prescriptions de diligence raisonnable dans la lutte contre la déforestation : aperçu des propositions de l’UE et du Royaume-Uni

The European Union and United Kingdom are developing legislative frameworks to prevent the import and export of commodities linked to deforestation. The EU's proposal focuses on a phased due diligence system for specific commodities (cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, and wood) and a country-based risk benchmarking system. The UK's Environment Act 2021 establishes a broader framework where specific high-risk commodities and due diligence requirements will be defined through secondary regulations. Both approaches face challenges regarding WTO compliance, the administrative burden on smallholders in developing countries, and the need for transition periods.

• The European Commission's proposal for a 'zero deforestation' regulation targets commodities including cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, and wood, as well as derived products, to ensure they are not linked to deforestation after December 31, 2020.
• The EU's proposed due diligence process for non-SME operators consists of three stages: information collection, risk assessment of non-compliance, and risk mitigation, requiring the collection of geographic coordinates for all land parcels of origin.
• The EU proposes a benchmarking system to classify countries into low, normal, or high risk, which will determine the level of due diligence obligations for operators and the intensity of checks by member state authorities.
• The UK Environment Act 2021 prohibits the use of forest-risk commodities or derived products in commercial activities unless local laws are respected, though the specific list of commodities is to be determined by the Secretary of State via secondary regulations.
• The UK's framework includes a due diligence requirement to identify products, assess risks of non-compliance with local laws, and mitigate those risks, with a proposed maximum penalty of 250,000 GBP.
• The EU estimates that its proposed regulation could save at least 71,920 hectares of forest and 32 million tonnes of CO2 annually.
• There are significant concerns that due diligence burdens may be shifted to small-scale farmers in developing countries who lack technical capacity, potentially reducing their margins and creating administrative hurdles.

APA

Oeschger, A., & Sarmiento, F. (n.d.). Les prescriptions de diligence raisonnable dans la lutte contre la déforestation : aperçu des propositions de l’UE et du Royaume-Uni. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/fr/node/16614

Chicago

Oeschger, Andreas, and Florence Sarmiento. Les prescriptions de diligence raisonnable dans la lutte contre la déforestation : aperçu des propositions de l’UE et du Royaume-Uni. International Institute for Sustainable Development, n.d. https://www.iisd.org/fr/node/16614.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Oeschger |first1=Andreas |last2=Sarmiento |first2=Florence |title=Les prescriptions de diligence raisonnable dans la lutte contre la déforestation : aperçu des propositions de l’UE et du Royaume-Uni |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |url=https://www.iisd.org/fr/node/16614 |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{oeschgerndles, author = {Oeschger, Andreas and Sarmiento, Florence}, title = {{Les prescriptions de diligence raisonnable dans la lutte contre la déforestation : aperçu des propositions de l’UE et du Royaume-Uni}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/fr/node/16614}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }