Acinzentamento das políticas ambientais europeias: estudo de caso da regulação sobre desmatamento da União Europeia e o impacto para o Brasil

Abstract

This study investigates the phenomenon of the “greying” of the European Union’s (EU) environment policies, with an emphasis on the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and its impacts on Brazil. The research analyzes the EU’s use of normative power as an instrument of global governance, particularly through the formulation of environmental regulation that impacts international trade. The EUDR, approved in 2023, imposes restrictions on the exports of agricultural and forest-bases commodities sourced from deforested areas to the EU, including products such as soybean, meat, cocoa, timber, palm oil, coffee and rubber. As one of the leading exporters of these commodities, Brazil faces significant challenges due to the adaptation and socio-economic impacts on small and medium-sized producers given the complexity of meeting the due diligence and risk classification requirements mandated by the EUDR. Additionally, the study examines the “Brussels Effect” concept, which describes the EU’s ability to export its regulatory standards globally, compelling countries and other stakeholders to adapt their practices to maintain trade relations with the EU. The critical analysis suggests that while the EUDR represents progress in the global environment agenda, its implementation raises concerns regarding its unilateral application, the structural inequalities between exporting and importing countries, and its coherence with international trade normative rules by the World Trade Organization (WTO). The EUDR is thus perceived more as a protectionist measure for the European market rather than a genuinely effective tool for promoting forest and environmental protection