On July 15, 2025, in Yaoundé, during the National Forum on Compliance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), Cameroon’s Minister of Commerce declared the country’s cocoa-coffee sector ready. Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana said that 99% of production areas already have geo-localization and traceability systems in place—six months ahead of the regulation’s enforcement deadline. The EUDR prohibits EU imports linked to deforestation or forest degradation after December 30, 2020.
The traceability systems stem from a geo-referenced data-sharing agreement on cocoa and coffee plantations signed on August 28, 2024, by the cocoa-coffee inter-professional body. These tools allow exporters to map plantations and prove their compliance with EU sustainability standards, as required by the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Cameroon’s progress in implementing these measures was at the heart of the national forum held on July 15, 2025, in Yaoundé, organized by the Interprofessional Cocoa and Coffee Council (CICC) and its partners.
Initially set to take effect on January 1, 2025, the EUDR’s enforcement was postponed to January 1, 2026, after requests from producing countries. For Cameroon, complying with the regulation is essential, given that Europe is the primary market for its exports. Official figures show that the country exports 78% of its cocoa and 87% of its coffee to the European Union, making it the world’s fifth-largest cocoa producer.
The EUDR sets out seven specific criteria that producing countries must meet. These include respect for land rights, environmental protection, third-party and labor rights, internationally recognized human rights, and the principle of free, prior, and informed consent for indigenous peoples. Countries must also comply with regulations on taxation, anti-corruption, trade, and customs. Beyond cocoa and coffee, the regulation also applies to rubber, palm oil, soy, beef, timber, and their derivatives.
BRM