Of all the EU countries, the Netherlands imported the most goods at risk of deforestation from non-EU countries last year. The Netherlands is the largest importer of soybeans, palm oil and cocoa and the second largest importer of timber and beef products. This was reported by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).

The Netherlands does not use all of these products for its own consumption; The majority travel abroad again after arriving at the port of Rotterdam.

New EU rules, which came into force in June, should ensure that imports of products into the EU do not contribute to deforestation. Companies are prohibited from importing goods from deforested lands after December 2020. Companies offering products at risk of deforestation on the European market must be able to prove that they do not come from recently deforested areas.

Since the new rule came into effect, companies have had a year and a half to implement it.

The main cause of deforestation is the increasing demand for agricultural land. Due to population growth and increasing demand for food, forests are being cut down to turn land into fields.

Most of the hazardous products shipped to the Netherlands come from Brazil. In 2022, its value reached 3.2 billion euros. This mainly concerns soy and wood products. The second country of origin of these products is the United States. Ivory Coast, in third place, produces mainly cocoa beans.