Detail

European Union

Oilseeds, oils and meals

Palm oil

01/01/2021

Trade

Regional trade initiatives

The Joint Working Group on Palm Oil – set up during a recent ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting – met to discuss sustainability issues regarding the production of vegetable oils in general, and palm oil in particular.

Bilateral/regional trade initiative – European Union / ASEAN – palm oil trade: The Joint Working Group on Palm Oil set up as part of a commitment reached at a recent ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting held its first meeting in January 2021, bringing together representatives from Indonesia, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Viet Nam, the European Commission and the European External Action Service. Meeting participants engaged in discussions on sustainability goals regarding vegetable oils in general and palm oil in particular. The group agreed on the importance of i) establishing a dialogue on the challenges faced in sustainable vegetable oil production; ii) ensuring that environmental challenges within the palm oil sector are mutually understood, with a view to addressing them in a holistic, transparent and non-discriminatory manner; iii) sharing relevant information on sustainable production methods; iv) contributing towards a shared understanding of sustainability criteria and certification processes; and v) considering possible collaborative actions to underpin this process, such as the promotion of sustainable practices, especially among smallholders and detailed studies on appropriate sustainability criteria and certification methods.