EUDR’s High-risk quartet

Just four countries are being labelled as high risk in the soon-to-be-implemented EU deforestation regulation. According to diplomats, the European Council has adopted the implementing act for the country risk benchmarking system under the EUDR. This act includes both the methodology and country rankings, enabling the regulation to be enforced on time from 30th December 2025.

According to officials, only four countries have reportedly been classified as high risk, based solely on existing UN/EU sanctions. Belarus, North Korea, Myanmar and Russia have been singled out. 

Some NGOs have asked the European Commission not to weaken the regulation. This was in response to the EU having issued a communication saying that “special attention” would be given to countries under EU or UN sanctions. WWF welcomes the finalisation of the EUDR but warns that low-risk status should be rare and based on deforestation trends, not granted to countries with weak governance or poor enforcement.

Indigenous communities in Malaysia face illegal evictions and deforestation despite local and international protections, according to a recent Human Rights Watch report. The report highlights the case of the Rumah Jeffrey people, part of the indigenous Iban community in Sarawak, Malaysia. In 2022, they received an eviction notice giving them just 30 days to abandon their forest home, which the government classified as a “protected forest”.

However, the investigation revealed a logging company, which is a subsidiary of Shin Yang Group, had approached the community five months earlier about using their forest for timber extraction. Despite never reaching an agreement with the community, the company proceeded with logging operations, removing approximately eight hectares of forest. 

Human Rights Watch found that the Rumah Jeffrey people were given no opportunity for input in the eviction process and have no avenue to appeal the decision. The organisation is calling for the Sarawak government to revoke the eviction notice and adopt stricter legal protections for Indigenous communities.

There is some hope on the horizon: the EU deforestation regulation coming into effect in 2025 will allow companies to be fined for deforestation in their supply chains. Experts believe this could pressure Malaysia to better respect indigenous rights to protect its export industry. 

Online marketplace Vinted is now the top clothing retailer in France, surpassing Amazon, Zara and H&M in sales volume, highlighting the rapid rise of the online second-hand market. Vinted operates a peer-to-peer online marketplace for second-hand fashion, enabling individuals to buy and sell pre-owned clothing. By extending the life of garments, the app promotes circular fashion and reduces the environmental footprint of the industry. The European recommerce sector was worth €94bn in 2024 and is expected to grow by 14% by 2027.

A recent French Fashion Institute survey found that second-hand clothing accounts for around 11% of total clothing sales, rising to 16% among young consumers. Chinese fast-fashion brands Shein and Temu ranked lower in the market.

Experts attribute Vinted’s success to its unlimited supply, easy shipping, and frictionless selling model – listing is free, and buyers cover fees. While hailed as a circular economy win, some critics argue that the platform may inadvertently fuel more consumption, as shoppers feel they can recoup costs by reselling, rather than buying less.

A recent article from news organisation Grist highlights the misleading practices surrounding plastic recycling, particularly focusing on the “mass balance” accounting method used by companies such as Mondelez. This method allows companies to label products as containing recycled content without accurately tracking the source of that content. For instance, Mondelez says that up to 50% of the plastic in Triscuit boxes comes from advanced recycling technology, but watchdogs argue that this approach lacks scientific backing and can mislead consumers. Mondelez International justifies its use of the mass balance approach as a way to promote a circular economy and reduce plastic waste, aiming to drive industry demand for recycled materials and boost recycling infrastructure.

Advanced recycling, or chemical recycling, involves converting plastics into their chemical building blocks, yet the process is complicated and often results in a product that still relies heavily on virgin plastic. Critics, including environmental organisations and shareholders, have condemned mass balance as a "false and misleading marketing scheme." They argue that it allows companies to inflate their recycled content claims, contributing to greenwashing.

As the industry grapples with its recycling shortcomings, some experts advocate for a shift toward reducing plastic usage and investing in alternative packaging solutions.