Keep our products deforestation-free!

Dear Ms. Amherd, President of the Swiss Federal Council,

Products are sold in Switzerland that are directly linked to the deforestation of (rain)forests. The EU is addressing this issue with a regulation for deforestation-free supply chains (EUDR - EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products). From 2025, raw materials and products associated with deforestation may no longer be imported into the EU. This applies to raw materials and products made from palm oil, soya, cocoa, coffee, beef, rubber and wood.

Switzerland fails to fulfil its responsibility and damages its reputation by importing raw materials and products whose production is associated with the deforestation of (rain)forests, while their marketing is prohibited in the EU.

In addition, Switzerland is directly affected by the EU regulation, as it exports raw materials worth CHF 4 billion to the EU and runs the risk of losing orders without appropriate legislation.

The Federal Council is therefore called upon to follow the EU's example and promptly enact legislation on deforestation-free supply chains in order to fulfil Switzerland's responsibility to protect the environment and climate.

Swiss shops sell products that are directly linked to the destruction of (tropical) forests. The EU has decided to tackle this problem with a regulation on deforestation-free supply chains (EUDR: EU regulation against deforestation). From 2025, raw materials and products linked to deforestation may no longer be imported into the EU. This applies to raw materials and products derived from palm oil, soya, cocoa, coffee, beef, rubber and wood.

Switzerland, on the other hand, is turning a blind eye to its responsibilities and damaging its reputation by importing raw materials and products whose production involves the destruction of (tropical) forests, even though their marketing is banned in the EU.

What's more, our country is directly affected by EU regulations, since we export 4 billion Swiss francs worth of raw materials to the EU, and we therefore risk losing markets in the absence of legislation in this area.

We therefore call on the Federal Council to follow the EU's example and quickly legislate on deforestation-free supply chains, in order to fulfil Switzerland's responsibility to protect the environment and the climate.

Yours sincerely,