Is there a deforestation risk in the US?
No. In 2022, of over 260 million ha of forest area, only 0.0971 million ha were permanently lost due to urbanisation and 0.0187 million ha due to commodity-driven deforestation (Source: Global Forest Watch). The risk of deforestation in the US can therefore be classified as low.
The European Commission (EC) will categorise countries, or parts thereof, into three categories – high, standard and low risk – according to the local deforestation risk. Based on this categorisation, different obligations apply to operators and EU member states.
Obligation to submit a due diligence statement
However, this does NOT mean that operators/importers are exempt from carrying out a due diligence process or submitting a due diligence statement.Like all other relevant goods crossing EU borders, imports from the US (or other countries with a presumed low-risk status) must be accompanied by a due diligence statement. However, simplified due diligence obligations apply to shipments from low-risk countries.
Reluctance of US exporters to provide geolocation data
According to trade representatives such as the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), US exporters are very reluctant to provide geolocation data about the forest sources of their products.
Due to the large number of small forest owners in the US – particularly in the hardwood sector – providing such data will be very difficult or burdensome for producers. EU importers/operators are therefore likely to face considerable resistance from US exporters when it comes to disclosing such information.
How supplycanvas can help
supplycanvas aims to simplify the EUDR process for exporters and importers by automating the provision of geolocation data and facilitating the anonymisation of supplier information.
Note: To date, the EC has not published any country benchmarks. Since 29 June 2023, all countries have been assigned a standard risk level until further notice.