EU resists calls to delay deforestation law, letter shows

The European Union has resisted calls from some industries and countries to delay its flagship policy to fight deforestation, a letter seen by Reuters on Friday showed.

The deforestation law will, from Dec. 30, require companies selling soy, beef, coffee, palm oil and other products in the 27-nation bloc to prove their supply chains do not contribute to the destruction of forests. Equally, EU companies will be banned from exporting products cultivated on deforested land.

The US government and industry groups including the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI) want the policy delayed, citing complaints including that the EU's systems for managing the ban are not yet finished.

In a letter to CEPI members, dated July 2, European Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius acknowledged such concerns but gave no indication that Brussels was...