To protect forests in many parts of the world, the import of a range of previously available goods into the EU could be banned or restricted. This is believed to help protect and safeguard forests.

Future imports into the European Union of beef, palm oil, cocoa and other products whose production is linked to the loss of large forest areas could be prohibited. This is provided for in a series of draft laws and regulations aimed at at least attempting to prevent the uncontrolled clearing of vast global forest areas.

Two weeks after world leaders signed a plan to end deforestation, the EU executive has put forward a legislative proposal. It stipulates that companies supplying products to roughly 450 million consumers living in the EU will in future need to prove that their products are in no way linked or attributable to deforestation anywhere in the world. The proposals include a number of products – beef, timber, palm oil, soya, coffee, cocoa – but do not include rubber (which has been harshly criticised by environmental activists).