Article 34Review

1. No later than 30 June 2024, the Commission shall present an impact assessment accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to extend the scope of this Regulation to include other wooded land. The assessment shall include, inter alia, the cut-off date referred to in Article 2, with a view to minimising the Union’s contribution to natural ecosystems’ conversion and degradation. The review shall include an assessment of the impact of the relevant commodities on deforestation and forest degradation.

2. No later than 30 June 2025, the Commission shall present an impact assessment accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal to extend the scope of this Regulation to other natural ecosystems, including other land with high carbon stocks and with a high biodiversity value such as grasslands, peatlands and wetlands. The assessment shall cover a potential ecosystem expansion, including on the basis of the cut-off date referred to in Article 2, with a view to minimising the Union’s contribution to natural ecosystems’ conversion and degradation. The review shall also address the need and the feasibility of extending the scope of this Regulation to further commodities, including maize. The review shall include an assessment of the impact of the relevant commodities on deforestation and forest degradation, as indicated by scientific evidence, and take into account changes in consumption.

3. The impact assessment referred to in paragraph 2 shall also include an assessment of whether it is appropriate to amend or extend the list of relevant products in Annex I in order to ensure that the most relevant products that contain, have been fed with, or have been made using, relevant commodities are included in that list. That assessment shall pay specific attention to the potential inclusion of biofuels (HS code 382600) in Annex I.

4. The impact assessment referred to in paragraph 2 shall also evaluate the role of financial institutions in preventing financial flows that contribute directly or indirectly to deforestation and forest degradation and assess the need to provide for any specific obligations for financial institutions in Union legal acts in that regard, taking into account any relevant existing horizontal and sectoral legislation.

5. The Commission may adopt delegated acts in accordance with Article 35 to amend Annex I with regard to the relevant CN codes of relevant products that contain, have been fed with or have been made using relevant commodities.

6. By 30 June 2028 and at least every five years thereafter, the Commission shall carry out a general review of this Regulation, and shall present a report to the European Parliament and the Council accompanied, if appropriate, by a legislative proposal. The first of the reports shall include in particular, based on specific studies, an evaluation of:

(a)

the need for and feasibility of additional trade facilitation tools – and in particular for LDCs highly impacted by this Regulation and countries or parts thereof classified as standard or high risk – to support the achievement of the objectives of this Regulation;

(b)

the impact of this Regulation on farmers, in particular smallholders, indigenous peoples and local communities and the possible need for additional support for the transition towards sustainable supply chains and for smallholders to meet the requirements of this Regulation;

(c)

the further extension of the definition of forest degradation, on the basis of an in-depth analysis, and taking into account progress made in international discussions on the matter;

(d)

the threshold for mandatory use of polygons as referred to in Article 2, point (28), taking into account its impact on tackling deforestation and forest degradation;

The article continues in the official text.