PALMOILMAGAZINE, JAKARTA – The room fell silent when Sander Happaerts, Green and Digital Counsellor of the European Union Delegation to Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, and ASEAN, took the floor. His words were brief, yet carried a strong message.
“There are two key aspects in the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR),” he stated firmly. “The first is product legality. Any product entering the European Union market must be legal.”
Happaerts emphasized that under the EUDR, responsibility no longer lies with exporting countries, but with the companies—or officially, the operators. They are required to conduct due diligence to ensure from the outset that products destined for Europe are free from deforestation and legal violations.
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Every product entering the EU market will be reviewed by national authorities. If found illegal—and the operator is deemed to have known or should have known—penalties could be severe. “No business would want to take such a risk,” he said.
This framework, according to Happaerts, will make operators significantly more cautious. Reports of land conflicts or alleged legal breaches at a plantation, for instance, could deter companies from sourcing there. “If they are not confident, they simply won’t buy from that supplier,” he explained.
Still, he acknowledged that the EUDR system is complex. A recurring question is: who is responsible for enforcing the regulation? His answer was clear: “Not governments. This regulation was agreed upon by EU member states and the European Parliament. But the obligation lies with companies, not countries.”
That said, cooperation remains possible. Should producer governments wish to support implementation, the EU would welcome such initiatives. “But if it only adds burdens for companies, that would be unfortunate,” he added.
Closing his remarks, Happaerts invited further dialogue. “If there are specific questions or cases you want to raise, send them to us. We’ll try to provide answers.”
His message was unmistakable: in today’s era of global transparency, responsibility rests firmly in the hands of operators. And for businesses targeting the European market, taking unnecessary risks is simply not an option. (P2)
