Workers organisations, including AK, have been advocating for binding due diligence obligations for companies along their supply chains for a long time. This proposed regulation on deforestation-free products is intended as a specific product-related due diligence regulation. It is designed to ensure that the products listed may only be imported into or exported from the EU, if they have been produced lawfully and without contributing to global deforestation.

The Commission proposal represents an important step towards better protection of the climate and the environment worldwide. Nevertheless, AK EUROPAs position paper outlines necessary adjustments to preserve and strengthen the substantive provisions of the proposal to meet citizens expectations. This includes the extension of the due diligence obligations to comply with internationally recognized human and labour rights, the incomplete list of products covered, the exemptions for SMEs and the cut-off date specified for whether a product is classified as "deforestation-free".