KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian Sustainable Palm Oil (MSPO) is able to serve as a tool for compliance with the new European Union (EU) regulation.
A recent webinar by the Malaysian Palm Oil Council saw three experts outlined their assessment of the value of MSPO, including its compliance role for the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The independent European Forest Institute (EFI), represented by technical expert Dr. Josil Murray, presented a gap analysis of MSPO and EUDR, a joint effort between EFI and MSPO,
highlighting the many areas in which MSPO is a successful certification.
Areas where further alignment can be pursued were also identified. This included reducing information gaps related to deforestation, legality, geolocation and traceability in palm oil production.
International certification expert and auditor for palm oil and rubber Pierre Bois d'Enghien agreed that MSPO should be recognised by the EU as a compliance tool.
His own assessment of MSPO and EUDR revealed that MSPO is a good standard and meets all the sustainability requirements and legality requirements of EUDR.
"EUDR is very difficult and costly. Compliance will only be achieved if the EU Commission is willing to work with – rather than just dictate to –countries in the developing world.
"This should start with recognising and rewarding the positive efforts of our trading partners, including the MSPO certification standard in Malaysia.
"Malaysia is well-positioned because of MSPO. For many other countries, what is needed is a delay in EUDR implementation or increased flexibility from the EU authorities," said d'Enghien in a statement.
MPOC chief executive officer Belvinder Kaur Sron said discussion with both European and Malaysian experts reached the same conclusion which acknowledged MPSO as a world-class certification standard.
"In some areas, such as the cut-off date for deforestation, MSPO is actually stricter and more rigorous than the EU Regulation. More cooperation is now needed between the European Union and the Malaysian palm oil community, to identify how MSPO can be accepted and recognised by the EU.
"Malaysia is committed to supplying certified sustainable and deforestation-free palm oil to our European customers," she added.