PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The EU has emerged as second-largest importer of goods linked to tropical deforestation after China. In 2017 alone, the EU was responsible for 16% of global deforestation linked to international trade — equivalent to 203,000 hectares of forest. More recently, in 2021, the EU was among the world’s top five importers of five of the six agricultural commodities covered by the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 (EUDR)): cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber and soy. It was also the largest importer of cocoa beans and coffee worldwide.
By reducing the EU’s forest loss footprint and addressing deforestation risks within its supply chains, the EUDR was enacted to help combat global deforestation. It requires companies to ensure that products linked to deforestation or forest degradation do not enter the EU market. This involves a due diligence process, which includes collecting supply chain information (such as geolocation data), assessing the risk of deforestation, and taking appropriate measures to eliminate any identified risks before the product can be placed on the market.
OBJECTIVES
The LIFE FairTHRIVE project seeks to strengthen the ability of EU MSMEs to comply with the EUDR. Leveraging Fairtrade's network of over 2,700 EU companies and its expertise in sustainability and regulation, the consortium will deliver targeted training and tools for EUDR compliance. Although the consortium includes six partners, the project's impact will reach beyond Belgium, Finland, the Baltics, Italy, Germany, and France, involving collaboration with other Fairtrade organisations to broaden its scope.
The project will also engage Fairtrade's EU network, including organisations in Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia to further amplify the project's impact across the EU.
Additionally, the project will share insights from traceability tools to support deforestation-free cocoa and coffee, in partnership with brands and suppliers in producing countries. Learnings and best practices will be shared widely through Fairtrade's involvement in industry platforms like the Global Coffee Platform and the National Platforms for Sustainable Cocoa in Europe (ISCO), where Fairtrade is a founding and/or active member. Beyond coffee and cocoa, collaboration with organizations such as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS), and the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)—all part of the ISEAL Alliance working group on Deforestation where Fairtrade International is an active member—will extend knowledge-sharing and skills transfers to SMEs in other EUDR-affected sectors.
RESULTS
Expected Results:
- At least 1,000 SMEs across at least 12 EU Member States will participate in 36 webinars and workshops.
- At least 25% of the participating SMEs will implement new strategies or best practices.
- 10 training modules and 20 guidance materials will be developed in English and translated into at least 9 EU languages (French, German, Italian, Finnish, Dutch, Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and Spanish), making them accessible to SMEs across diverse linguistic regions.
- Organisation of sessions on EUDR in at least 35 cross-sectoral industry events and trade shows across the targeted EU countries, fostering collaboration and the exchange of best practices among companies in various sectors affected by EUDR.
- Two traceability and geolocation data-sharing tools will be piloted, and 200 SMEs will be trained in their use.