Heidi Brock

The American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA) has voiced support for the initial trade agreement reached between the United States and the European Union, describing it as a positive step toward fairer and more balanced trade. However, AF&PA is raising concerns that the EU’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) remains a significant non-tariff trade barrier for U.S. producers. AF&PA President and CEO Heidi Brock praised the U.S. administration’s efforts in negotiating the deal, which supports the $3.5 billion worth of essential U.S. forest products shipped annually to the EU. Brock urged the administration to press for a U.S. exemption from the EUDR, arguing that the regulation does not account for the U.S.’s strong record in sustainable forest management. AF&PA notes that while the United States is not a global deforestation hotspot, American manufacturers must comply with the same costly and complex geolocation tracking as producers in higher-risk regions, placing undue burden on U.S. exporters.