EU MPs positive on oil palm

KUALA LUMPUR: The European Union (EU) members of parliament (MPs) are impressed with the oil palm industry’s contribution towards creating wealth and economic growth for Malaysia.
Danish MP Dan Jorgensen, who is vice-chairman of the Environment Committee and member of the Group of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament said: “As a whole, I think, it has helped take people out of poverty, which is a very positive thing.”
“The challenge now is the sustainability of the commodity. Even though progress has been made, there is still possibility of becoming better in this area,” he said after a stakeholder roundtable discussion on issues related to biodiversity and the sustainability of Malaysian palm oil here last Friday.
Jorgensen was on a week-long visit to Malaysia together with two other EU MPs – Martin J. Callanan (Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety) and Ole K. Christensen (Member of the ACP-EU Committee).
Jorgensen said the next decade would continue to see an increase in the focus on sustainability as a competition criteria on the global stage, whether for fuel, food or other commodities.
Some EU MPs on a visit to Malaysia say the sector has helped take people out of poverty
“From the sustainability point of view, palm oil has great potential compared with other oils,” he added.
Many have voiced concern over the new sustainability criteria in the EU Renewable Energy Directive, due to come into force from Dec 5, and its impact on palm oil-exporting countries like Malaysia.
On that matter, Jorgensen expressed the willingness of MPs to assist Malaysia in ensuring there was no discrimination against the country’s palm oil export to the region.
“First, we do not want any discrimination at all of the palm oil sector. We have promised our friends in the industry here to help them in discussions that we have in the EU on different criterias.
“If there has been any discrimination, we will do everthing possible to change it.
“Second, we are at the same time very committed to the sustainability criteria,” he said.
The sustainability criteria is related to two issues – the lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels and the land used to produce the biofuels.
Christensen noted that in western Europe, there was perception that palm oil is a bad thing because rainforests are being destroyed to make way for plantations.
“That’s what many people believe. So, we are gratified to get assurances here that Malaysia has strict laws to ensure no more forests are destroyed,” he said.
He also said it was a challenge to get this point of view across to the Western audience. — Bernama