…Coffee Watch disagrees with the false dichotomy regarding the EUDR’s impact on smallholder farmers underpinning the ECF’s letter…The ECF’s response exploits the struggle of smallholder farmers as a smokescreen to dismantle vital regulations—regulations that do not even apply to the farmers but to corporations importing coffee to Europe…

…As we know, coffee is the sixth largest driver of deforestation in the world. Today, the sustainability of the coffee industry is under threat due to decades of deforestation which have affected microclimates in coffee growing areas and caused adverse weather events that threaten all farming - including coffee cultivation - and land suitable for coffee…

…These groups actively worked to weaken, derail, and delay the regulation—arguing that compliance is too complex, costly, or premature—rather than engaging in meaningful efforts to meet its requirements or adjust the law to make it more impactful and more positive for smallholders. This pattern of lobbying came very close to undermining the EUDR and hamstringing genuine progress in addressing deforestation and protecting human rights…

There is a much better third option that allows for robust regulation in coffee and for smallholder coffee producers to thrive. Coffee Watch urges coffee companies to enable smallholder compliance with the EUDR by paying smallholders a living income…