Cameroon nears full traceability of cocoa, coffee to meet EU’s Deforestation Regulation 

CAMEROON – Cameroon has achieved nearly complete traceability for its cocoa and coffee sectors, placing the country in a strong position to comply with the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), according to Trade Minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana. 

The announcement was made during the National Forum on EU Regulation Compliance, held in Yaoundé and attended by national stakeholders and international partners.  

The forum was organized by the Cocoa and Coffee Interprofessional Council (CICC) to review the country’s readiness for the new regulation. 

Minister Atangana stated that 99% of Cameroon’s cocoa and coffee cultivation zones are now integrated into geolocation and traceability systems. These systems are part of a shared data initiative launched under a cooperation agreement signed by the inter-professional board of the cocoa-coffee sector on August 28, 2024. 

The EUDR, originally scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025, has been postponed to January 1, 2026, following appeals from producing countries.  

The regulation prohibits the sale or export of products linked to deforestation or forest degradation after December 30, 2020. 

Cameroon’s compliance is especially significant due to its trade dependence on the EU. According to official data, 78% of the country’s cocoa and 87% of its coffee exports are destined for European markets. 

To meet EUDR requirements, exporters must prove that their products originate from land that has not experienced deforestation post-2020 and that all relevant national and international legal standards have been upheld.  

These include adherence to land use rights, environmental and labor protections, human rights laws, and tax and trade regulations. Indigenous Peoples’ rights and informed consent principles must also be respected. 

Besides cocoa and coffee, the EUDR applies to six other commodities: palm oil, soy, beef, rubber, timber, and their derived products. Compliance requires companies to conduct strict due diligence, including traceability of goods to their production plots. 

However, recent developments in the European Parliament have introduced uncertainties. A motion led by the European People’s Party (EPP), and passed by a majority of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), challenged the proposed benchmarking system intended to classify countries by deforestation risk.  

Lawmakers cited the use of outdated data and a lack of differentiation in the three-tier classification system—low, standard, and high risk—as major shortcomings. 

This parliamentary opposition has raised concerns over possible further delays in the implementation of the EUDR, even as countries like Cameroon move closer to full compliance. 

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