To: Chairpersons of
People's Committees of provinces and central-affiliated cities
On May
16, 2023, the European Commission (EC) approved the EU Deforestation
Regulation (EUDR). EUDR is the latest regulation of the EU related to
green and sustainable development, including specific regulations on
deforestation-free agricultural products. This is an inevitable change in the
green consumption trend of the global market, not just the EU.
According
to EUDR, after December 31, 2020, it is prohibited to import agricultural
products that originate from deforested land or have contributed to forest
degradation, including animal
husbandry, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soybeans and wood, as well as items
raised or made of those products including leather, chocolate, printing paper,
furniture, charcoal and some palm oil derivatives. Coffee, rubber, wood and
wood products are Vietnam's main sectors affected by this regulation.
Since the
draft regulation is proposed by the EC, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development has hold many in-depth discussions at both the technical level and
leadership level with the EC. At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture and
Rural Development has directed specialized agencies to prepare an Action Plan
Framework in compliance with EUDR, proposing specific tasks/solutions and
giving assignment to these agencies. On June 29, 2023, the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development signed a Memorandum of Understanding with
Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development of 05 provinces in Western
Highlands (Daklak, Dak Nong, Gia Lai, Kon Tum and Lam Dong), Industry
Associations and relevant international partners in order to cooperate and
develop the deforestation and degradation-free production areas, and
sustainable production in combination with objectives of preservation of
natural resources and assurance about social security in such provinces.
In the
circumstance that the EC sets an effective term to enforce EUDR in December
2024 (June 2025 for small and micro enterprises), it is required to immediately
carry out activities to comply with this regulation, thereby avoiding any
impact on the export of coffee, wood and wood products and rubber to the EU
market in particular and the global market in general.
Accordingly,
the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development requests the People's
Committees of provinces/central-affiliated cities to make connection and
supplement local action plans to comply with EUDR. To be specific:
1. Closely monitoring high-risk zones (intercropping zones)
for sectors affected by EUDR, especially coffee; strengthening community
patrols/supervision to protect forests;
2. Assigning relevant specialized agencies to cooperate
with agencies of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, industry
associations, enterprises, and international organizations (including the EU
Delegation to Vietnam, the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), 4C Organization,
etc.) in:
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Reviewing and unifying ground maps;
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Sharing, updating, and digitalizing cadastral map data of plantations and
conducting additional surveys for those that have not yet been included in
cadastral maps;
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According to data on forests and cultivated areas, identifying areas with high,
medium and low deforestation risks, thereby determining appropriate solutions
for monitoring, protecting and restoring forests, establishing traceability
systems, and supporting sustainable livelihood and sustainable production,
etc.;
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Developing mechanisms, sharing and responding to information with importers
into the EU, as required by the EC;
-
Disseminating EUDR and technical guidance documents to management agencies at
all levels and stakeholders in the value chains of affected sectors;
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Developing and implementing supply chain traceability to the region, linked to
the location of each farm for sectors affected by EUDR;
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Developing landscape approaches to promote sustainable production, natural
resource protection and social
welfare; applying sustainable certification to coffee, rubber, and wood
sectors.
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Supporting the transformation and improvement of livelihood for farmers,
especially ethnic minorities in buffer zones and adjacent zones, to comply with
EUDR;
3. Establishing or consolidating the provincial-level
public-private working group; implementing public-private partnership
activities; carrying out activities and sharing information as well as
provincial-level databases for sectors affected by EUDR; cooperating with the
general working groups and sectoral working groups at the central level;
developing programs and projects to call for public and private investment and
international aid to implement the above-mentioned activities.
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(The
Action Plan Framework in compliance with EU Deforestation Regulation and an
unofficial translation of the EUDR from the EC are attached)
Your
collaboration is greatly appreciated./
MINISTER
Le Minh Hoan
APPENDIX:
LIST OF PROVINCES WITH FORESTS
Region
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Northern Midlands and Mountains Region
Ha
Giang
Cao
Bang
Lang
Son
Bac
Giang
Phu Tho
Thai
Nguyen
Bac Kan
Tuyen
Quang
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Yen Bai
Lai
Chau
Son La
Dien
Bien
Hoa
Binh
Hanoi
City
Hai
Phong City
Hai
Duong
Hung
Yen
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Bac
Ninh
Thai
Binh
Nam
Dinh
Ha Nam
Ninh Binh
Quang
Ninh
North Central Region and Central Coast
Thanh
Hoa
Nghe An
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Quang
Binh
Quang
Tri
Thua
Thien Hue
Da Nang
City
Quang
Nam
Quang
Ngai
Binh
Dinh
Phu Yen
Khanh
Hoa
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Binh
Thuan
Western Highlands
Kon Tum
Gia Lai
Daklak
Dak
Nong
Lam
Dong
Southeast Region
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Dong
Nai
Ba Ria
– Vung Tau
Binh
Duong
Binh
Phuoc
Tay
Ninh
Mekong Delta Region
Can Tho
City
Long An
Tien
Giang
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Tra
Vinh
Vinh
Long
An
Giang
Dong
Thap
Kien
Giang
Hau
Giang
Soc
Trang
Bac
Lieu
Ca Mau
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Action Plan Framework in
compliance with EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)
NO.
Tasks
Presiding unit
Cooperating unit
Implementation duration
I
Development
of public-private partnership framework for enforcement of EUDR
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Establishing
public-private partnership groups for sectors affected by EUDR
Department
of International Cooperation shall preside over the establishment of and act
as co-head of the public-private partnership group and organize activities;
and make cooperation agreements.
Department
of Crop Production shall preside over the working group for coffee and rubber
sectors
Forest
Protection Department shall preside over the working group for wood and
forest products
Local
authorities shall establish the provincial-level public-private working
group; implement public-private partnership activities; and share information
and database
Industry
associations shall develop cooperation agreements; participate in working
groups; and cooperate in implementation of activities.
International
organizations shall participate in building and supporting the implementation
of public-private partnership activities
2023
I.2
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Every year
II
Dissemination
Providing
technical guidance for sectors that meet EUDR
Department
of Crop Production, Department of Forestry, Forest Protection Department
Relevant
Departments
Local
authorities
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International
organizations
2023
Disseminating
EUDR to management agencies at all levels and stakeholders in the value
chains of affected sectors
Vietnam
Agriculture Newspaper
National
Center for Agricultural Extension.
Relevant
Departments
Local
authorities
Industry
associations
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International
organizations
Every year
III
Technical
solutions
Developing
and approving a national database on cultivated areas; developing mechanism
for sharing and responding to information
Department
of Crop Production (in case of coffee and rubber)
Forest
Protection Department (in case of wood and forest products)
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Department
of Forestry
Center
for Digital Transformation and Agricultural Statistics
Other
relevant units
Local
authorities
Industry
associations
Enterprises
International
organizations
2023 –
2024
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Department
of Crop Production (in case of coffee and rubber)
Forest
Protection Department (in case of wood and forest products)
Department
of Forestry
Center
for Digital Transformation and Agricultural Statistics
Other
relevant units
Local
authorities
Industry
associations
Enterprises
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2023 – 2025
Strengthening
forest protection, monitoring forest transition,
inventorying and monitoring forest developments; building a database on and
map of forest status
Forest
Protection Department
Department
of Forestry
Local
authorities
2023 – 2025
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Department
of Crop Production
National
Center for Agricultural Extension.
Department
of Forestry
Local
authorities
Industry
associations
Enterprises
International
organizations
2023 -2025
IV
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Building
a regular dialogue channel with the EU
Department
of International Cooperation
Other
relevant units affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development
Local
authorities
Industry
associations
Enterprises
International
organizations
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Periodically
synthesizing and sharing information
Every year
V
Resource
mobilization
Mobilizing
financial and technical support from international organizations and the
private sector in order to support the value chains of affected sectors in
compliance with EUDR
Department
of International Cooperation
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Local
authorities
Industry
associations
Enterprises
International
organizations
Every year
Mobilizing
resources from central and local government budgets in order to support the
value chains of affected sectors in compliance with EUDR
Planning
Department, Finance Department and local authorities
Other
relevant units affiliated to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural
Development
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Every year