
Malaysia's sets up committee to strengthen response to EU's anti-deforestation law
KUALA LUMPUR, June 26 (Reuters) - Malaysia has set up a special committee to strengthen the country's response to the European Union's anti-deforestation law, the commodities ministry said on Thursday.
A key priority of the committee is to secure Malaysia's status as a low-risk country under the European Union's anti-deforestation framework and strengthen its traceability systems, the ministry said in a statement.
The bloc's landmark deforestation law is set to take effect in December.
The law requires companies and traders importing soy, beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, timber, rubber and related products to prove their supply chains do not contribute to the destruction of the world's forests, or face hefty fines.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Reuters
33 minutes ago
- Reuters
Germany's Merz urges 'quick and simple' EU-US trade deal
BRUSSELS, June 26 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Thursday the EU should do a "quick and simple" trade deal with the United States rather than a "slow and complicated" one. Merz spoke at the end of a summit of EU leaders in Brussels, where European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the EU had received a new proposal from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration in their transatlantic trade dispute. With the clock ticking before a tariff respite expires on July 9, Merz said time was of the essence. "We have less than two weeks until July 9 and you can't agree a sophisticated trade agreement in that time," he told reporters. Merz said German industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, mechanical engineering, steel, aluminum and cars were already being burdened with high tariffs that businesses were in danger. Merz also said von der Leyen had suggested that Europeans build a new trade organisation that could gradually replace the World Trade Organization (WTO), which has struggled to function effectively in recent years. He said the idea was in its early stages but could include mechanisms to resolve disputes, as the WTO was meant to do. "You all know that the WTO doesn't work any more," he said. Also on trade, Merz said EU leaders were "basically united" in wanting to finalise a trade deal with Latin America's Mercosur bloc as soon as possible. He said there were only "small differences" between EU members on the pact. Asked about objections from France to the current proposal, Merz said he had spoken twice to French President Emmanuel Macron about the topic twice during the summit and felt there was "great readiness" to conclude the deal. Macron, however, struck a different note, telling reporters France could not accept the deal as it stands.


Reuters
3 hours ago
- Reuters
EU receives new trade deal 'outline' from US, officials say
BRUSSELS, June 26 (Reuters) - The United States has presented a new proposal for a trade agreement to the European Commission, whose chief has shared it with EU leaders, European officials said on Thursday. The proposal, which one official described as an "outline" containing a couple of points, came as EU leaders were meeting at a summit in Brussels, less than two weeks before a July 9 deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump for a deal to avert higher U.S. tariffs.


Reuters
4 hours ago
- Reuters
Apple changes App Store rules in EU to comply with antitrust order
SAN FRANCISCO, June 26 (Reuters) - Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab on Thursday changed rules and fees in its App Store in the European Union after the bloc's antitrust regulators ordered it to remove commercial barriers to sending customers outside the store. Apple said developers will pay a 20% processing fee for purchases made via the App Store, though the fees could go as low as 13% for Apple's small-business program. Developers who send customers outside the App Store for payment will pay a minimum fee of 5% and at most 15%. Developers will also be able to use as many links as they wish to send users to outside forms of payment. The changes are aimed at trying to help Apple avoid a 500 million euro ($570 million) fine threatened by EU antitrust regulators in April. 'The European Commission is requiring Apple to make a series of additional changes to the App Store. We disagree with this outcome and plan to appeal," Apple said in a statement.