Active Project
We are in the midst of a growing global climate crisis, facing environmental challenges such as accelerated deforestation and biodiversity loss.
Agriculture remains one of the main causes of deforestation worldwide, affecting key ecosystems such as the Amazon. A recent study concluded that between 90% and 99% of tropical deforestation is directly or indirectly driven by agriculture (World Resources Institute, 2022). Agriculture is the single largest driver of terrestrial biodiversity loss, and estimates suggest it accounts for around 70% or more of projected biodiversity loss in terrestrial ecosystems (OECD, 2018).
In response to this situation, the European Union (EU) has turned to environmental regulations related to international trade to address these issues through its supply chains—particularly Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 on deforestation-free products, known as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). EUDR is a pioneering law that aims to ensure that products entering the EU market (or manufactured for export) are deforestation-free (after the cut-off date of December 31, 2020, in the country of origin) and legally produced.
This transition represents an opportunity to reposition products in markets that prioritize sustainability, while also presenting a challenge, as value chains must adopt new systems for traceability, due diligence, and regulatory compliance. It is especially a technical and financial challenge for producers in origin countries, particularly for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and cooperatives.
The CAVEC project has the general objective of ensuring that Colombian specialty coffee value chains are sustainable and comply with new European regulations and sustainability ambitions, by directly supporting Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), for their integration into traceable and deforestation-free value chains.
The CAVEC project has worked with SMEs to strengthen their capacities to comply with the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR 1115/2023) and to implement an Environmental and Social Management System adapted to the local context, thereby improving coffee production conditions and facilitating export processes, mainly to the Nordic market.
This EUDR Guide for European SMEs provides a practical and accessible roadmap for European SMEs sourcing Colombian coffee to comply with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). It explains regulatory requirements, due diligence processes, traceability systems, supplier collaboration, legality under Colombian law, risk management, audit readiness, and proportional implementation strategies tailored to SME capacities.
At Inclusive Business Partners, we are here to help European SMEs to comply with EUDR regulation. Contact us for more information.
The executing consortium is Inclusive Business Partners (IBP), ForumCiv and the Government of the Department of Huila in Colombia. This project has been carried out with the financial support of the European Union, through Sequa. Its content is the exclusive responsibility of Inclusive Business Partners and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the European Union, sequa or the consortium responsible for the execution of the AL-INVEST Verde program.
For more information about this project, please contact: Daniella Mendoza, Tecnical Director of CAVEC daniella.mendoza@inclusivebusiness.se
