Research flags three obstacles to EU deforestation rules in Brazil, from Cerrado definition gap to China’s 60% beef share

New research says the EU’s Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR) faces three obstacles in Brazil: the Cerrado savanna is not treated as forest under the EU definition, monitoring and traceability systems remain fragmented, and China has replaced the EU as the main buyer of Brazilian beef. The analysis focuses on beef, but it also lists coffee and cocoa among products covered by the EUDR. The study argues that implementation hurdles could raise compliance costs and squeeze smaller producers’ ability to supply, materially disrupting global coffee and cocoa supply chains without triggering an immediate price spike or abrupt policy shift.