Joint Task Force Second Meeting: Concentrating on 5 Key Workstreams

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Palm oil plantation. Photo by: Sawit Fest 2021 / Miftahurrohman

PALMOILMAGAZINE, PUTRAJAYA – The upcoming second meeting of the Ad Hoc Joint Task Force (JTF) on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in Putrajaya, Malaysia, holds great significance in addressing challenges and opportunities associated with the EUDR.

The meeting, jointly led by representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia, and the European Commission, includes stakeholders from palm oil, rubber, cocoa, wood, and coffee industries.

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Dato’ Zailani Bin Haji Hashim, Vice General Secretary (Plantation and Commodity) at the Ministry of Plantation and Commodity Malaysia, highlighted the serious challenges posed by the adjustment of the EUDR system in Malaysia, particularly its impacts on smallholders in remote areas. He emphasized the need for policies and technical support tailored to ensure compliance among these smallholders.

Also Read: Consultative Mechanism Established for EUDR Joint Task Force Involving Indonesia, Malaysia, and the European Union

Expert staff in Connectivity, Service Development, and Natural Resource Coordinator Ministry in Economy Indonesian Republic, Musdhalifah Machmud said that the Government of Indonesia is committed to implement sustainable principles based on common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC). This is the hoped to get concrete solution including the (regulation) implementation postponement for smallholders (in Indonesia).

Director of Green and Multilateralism Diplomacy European Commission, Astrid Schomaker emphasized its commitment to cooperate with Indonesia and Malaysia to EUDR implementation smoothly. Astrid also acknowledged the challenges but did welcome every effort to escalate certification and track system.

The meeting was focusing on five workstreams. The first, about smallholders’ inclusivity and acknowledged the challenges. European Union is committed to support smallholders’ inclusivity in legal and free deforestation – supply chain.

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The second, relevant certification scheme which means, it should be in the form of gap analysis between Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO) and Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil. The two were discussed with the commitment to reduce the gap to get adjusted with EUDR.

The third, area ownership track. In national scale, for instance, SIMS and e-MSPO Malaysia and Dashboard Nasional Indonesia were represented. European Union promised to support area ownership track in relevant commodity sectors.

The fourth, scientific data about deforestation. It focused on European Union observatory progresses about deforestation. It may happen the cooperation would be about comprehensive and accurate map development to be explored.

The fifth, data protection. The Government of Indonesia and Malaysia protested about geolocation data that was discussed. Both countries emphasized it needed to protect every data (from every party). European Union said that geolocation did not have something to do with personal data.

The meeting decided special team in every workstream with their work schedule. The result would be the inputs for the third meeting which the schedule would be in September 2024 in Brussel. The minister level- discussion would be in April with the visit of European Commissioner for Environment, Sea, and Fishery, Sinkevicius to the regions. (T2)

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