A new international survey led by the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL) and Fairtrade International has been launched to examine how two major European Union regulations — the EU Organic Regulation and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) — are affecting smallholder producers across global agricultural supply chains. The initiative aims to generate critical data that will help policymakers, certification bodies, and supply chain actors understand the ground-level realities of compliance for millions of farmers.
The EU’s updated Organic Regulation sets stricter standards for certification, traceability, and contamination thresholds, while the recently implemented EUDR requires companies to prove that key agricultural commodities — including cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, and rubber — are not linked to deforestation or forest degradation. Although both regulations seek to strengthen sustainability and consumer trust, they have raised concerns about the financial and administrative burden being placed on small producers, particularly those in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
The joint survey from FiBL and Fairtrade International will collect information directly from farmers, cooperatives, exporters, and certification bodies operating in these supply chains. Organisers note that this data will be essential for identifying bottlenecks such as limited access to digital traceability systems, rising auditing costs, and challenges in meeting new documentation requirements. Initial feedback from producer networks indicates that many smallholders fear losing market access if they cannot comply with the EU’s complex rules in time.
One of the survey’s key objectives is to assess whether the new regulations risk widening inequality in global trade. Smallholder farmers often lack the financial resources to invest in satellite monitoring tools, digital record-keeping platforms, or third-party verification services — all of which may become necessary for EUDR compliance. Similarly, stricter organic certification protocols may impose additional testing and procedural demands that disproportionately affect smaller operations.
Fairtrade International emphasised that without targeted support, such as technical assistance programmes or transitional funding, the regulations could unintentionally marginalise the very communities they aim to protect. The organisation noted that sustainable trade must ensure that small-scale producers can meet regulatory requirements without jeopardising their livelihoods.
The survey results will be shared with EU officials, supply chain companies, and farmer organisations to guide adjustments in implementation policies. Stakeholders hope that the findings will encourage more inclusive compliance strategies, clearer guidance for exporters, and greater collaboration between producer countries and European regulatory agencies.
As the EU continues to roll out ambitious sustainability reforms, the new survey is expected to play a significant role in shaping how agricultural supply chains adapt. By capturing the experiences of smallholder farmers — who form the backbone of global commodity production — the initiative aims to ensure that the transition to more sustainable trade remains fair, practical, and equitable.
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