> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://cocoaradar.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # EUDR country benchmarking list described as ‘farcical’ by environmental group - URL: https://cocoaradar.com/eudr-benchmarking-list-described-as-farcical-by-environmental-group/ - Published: 2025-05-26T14:49:24.000Z - Updated: 2025-05-26T14:49:23.000Z - Description: The European Commission country benchmarking list under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) has designated only four countries as ‘high risk’: Belarus, Myanmar, North Korea, and Russia - immediately drawing criticism from environmentalists - Author: Anthony Myers - Tags: eudr, deforestation Mighty Earth warns that the EU is “leaving the back door wide open to goods that have been produced on recently deforested or degraded land and/or grown illegally in protected areas such as wildlife refuges, national forests, and Indigenous territories.” [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/42/e5/42e56cb4-2135-4886-b7a8-860153b64965/content/images/2025/05/Screenshot-2025-05-26-at-10.26.13.png)](https://lnkd.in/dTaYDUNJ?ref=cocoaradar.com) Chart: [https://www.preferredbynature.org/](https://www.preferredbynature.org/?ref=cocoaradar.com) Click on Image to download the PDF In what it calls an “extraordinary move,” key countries with significant levels of deforestation and degradation—such as Brazil, Bolivia, and DR Congo—have all been left off the ‘High Risk’ register. ## Sign up for From The Desk of CocoaRadar 'From our desk to yours'. Join 1,000 + subscribers and receive our daily newsletter on what matters in cocoa. Subscribe Email sent! Check your inbox to complete your signup. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime. Imports from these nations will undergo the most stringent compliance checks, with EU authorities mandated to inspect 9% of relevant shipments. [EU prepares to launch country benchmarking system for EUDRReport claims four countries to be blacklisted as Brussels prepares to release final details![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/42/e5/42e56cb4-2135-4886-b7a8-860153b64965/content/images/icon/sophie-LOGO-FINAL_WEB-135.png)From The Desk of CocoaRadarAnthony Myers![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/42/e5/42e56cb4-2135-4886-b7a8-860153b64965/content/images/thumbnail/photo-1623520000876-e6bdaedc018f-3)](https://cocoaradar.com/eu-prepares-to-launch-country-benchmarking-system-for-eudr/) ### EU sanctions CocoaRadar understands Belarus, Myanmar, North Korea, and Russia are currently under EU or UN sanctions, which are influencing their high-risk classification. This classification aims to guide importers and EU authorities in applying due diligence requirements for commodities such as cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood. > Mighty Earth policy director Julian Oram said: “The EUDR has become more about controlling political narrative than about controlling deforestation. Almost since it came into force in June 2023, the European Commission has been doing its utmost to bend the law to the will of those who don’t like it – namely, companies and governments that preside over and benefit from the destruction of the world’s precious remaining forests. Today’s revelation of which countries have been classified under the EUDR risk benchmarking system is the latest, and perhaps most bizarre, example of this capitulation.” ### Potential implications on sourcing strategies The introduction of the benchmarking list is likely to shift sourcing patterns and supplier expectations. Preferred by Nature anticipates that this will also affect how companies use sustainability tools, manage risks, and engage with suppliers across different country-risk contexts. ### **Standard and Low-Risk Classifications** Approximately 50 countries, including major commodity producers like Brazil, Indonesia, and Malaysia, were categorized as ‘standard risk.’ Imports from these countries will be subject to a 3% compliance check rate. These nations were not in the high-risk category despite their significant deforestation rates. [Ultimate guide to EUDRBackground and rolling updates on the \*DELAYED\* European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) with expert comments and analysis![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/42/e5/42e56cb4-2135-4886-b7a8-860153b64965/content/images/icon/sophie-LOGO-FINAL_WEB-134.png)From The Desk of CocoaRadarAnthony Myers![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/42/e5/42e56cb4-2135-4886-b7a8-860153b64965/content/images/thumbnail/EU-DR-14.png)](https://cocoaradar.com/ultimate-guide-to-eudr/) Conversely, about 140 countries received a “low risk” designation, including all EU member states, the United States, Canada, and Laos. Imports from these countries will face a minimal 1% compliance check rate. “The responsibility for this farcical classification does not primarily lie at the doors of the European Commission. Instead, it rests on EU member state governments, some of which have turned their backs on the climate and nature emergency facing the planet at the behest of corporate lobbyists from the forestry and agribusiness sectors, especially in countries such as Austria, Germany, and Finland. This is their legacy, and it will haunt them,” Oram added. ### **Compliance Requirements** Under the EUDR, companies importing covered commodities into the EU must provide verifiable information demonstrating that their products are not sourced from land deforested after December 31, 2020\. Failure to comply can result in fines up to 4% of a company’s turnover in an EU member state. ### **Implementation Timeline** The EUDR will take effect for large companies on December 30, 2025, and for micro and small enterprises on June 30, 2026\. The first review of country classifications is scheduled for 2026, allowing for adjustments based on new data and developments. - **For a detailed list of country classifications, visit the**[ **European Commission’s official page**](https://green-forum.ec.europa.eu/deforestation-regulation-implementation/eudr-cooperation-and-partnerships/country-classification-list%5Fen?ref=cocoaradar.com)**.** --- [DOWNLOAD: Anatomy of a Global Cocoa Supply ChainObtain this exclusive and stunning infographic that maps out the complexities of the global cocoa supply chain - along with a 10-page spotlight paper at no cost. Download it today.![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/42/e5/42e56cb4-2135-4886-b7a8-860153b64965/content/images/icon/sophie-LOGO-FINAL_WEB-74.png)From The Desk of CocoaRadarAnthony Myers![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/42/e5/42e56cb4-2135-4886-b7a8-860153b64965/content/images/thumbnail/310125-Anatomy_Infographic_design-proof_sponge_blur-1.jpg)](https://cocoaradar.com/download-anatomy-of-a-global-cocoa-supply-chain/)