The Netherlands is the largest importer of soy, palm oil and cocoa in the European Union. This is evident from the Internationalization Monitor Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) publishes on Thursday. Of all EU member states, the Netherlands imported the most products last year that (possibly) contribute to deforestation and land degradation from outside the EU. Last May, the European Council introduced new rules to prevent consumption and trade in the EU from contributing to deforestation and further damage to ecosystems. Statistics Netherlands now concludes that the Netherlands is going against these new rules.
The main products linked to deforestation are soy, beef, palm oil, timber, cocoa and coffee. The majority of harmful goods that the Netherlands imports from outside the EU come from Brazil. Last year, soy and wood products worth around 3.2 billion euros were imported from the South American country. The US – also soy and wood – and Ivory Coast – cocoa beans – also supply the Netherlands with the most of these goods.
High import of wood
In twenty years, the amount of wood imported from non-EU countries increased in particular. In addition to more than doubling this (increase of 125 percent), imports of cocoa (67 percent), beef (53 percent) and palm oil (19 percent) also increased.
Within the EU, the Netherlands mainly sources wood and wood products from Germany, Belgium and Sweden. Statistics Netherlands even notes that the amount spent on wood and wood products is greater than all other harmful products combined.
The food industry, which has the largest share of use by Dutch industries at 41 percent, appears to be the only industry that uses all types of risk goods. Other major users, such as the paper, construction and furniture industries, use wood exclusively. Also to provide the Dutch with energy, more and more wood has been imported in recent years to be used for biomass.
