African groups warn EU trade rules risk deepening inequality

Civil society groups, farmers’ networks and trade experts from across Africa have accused the European Union (EU) of pushing ahead with green trade policies that could lock African producers out of global markets.

Speaking during a virtual press conference, the organisations said the EU’s new sustainability directives, while intended to tackle climate change and protect biodiversity, were being rolled out without proper consultation with African governments, civil society or farmer groups.

“Instead of copying EU standards, Africa should push for equivalent measures that meet sustainability goals while reflecting African realities, capacities, and development priorities,” Dr  Christian Häberli, a Fellow at the World Trade Institute (WTI), said.

The measures include the EU Deforestation Regulation, the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. Together they demand strict traceability and reporting standards for exports such as cocoa, coffee, rubber and timber.

Critics say the costs and technical demands of compliance are falling on smallholder farmers who lack the digital tools, financing and institutional backing to meet them.

“EU sustainability directives are here to stay. While transition periods can be negotiated, they are already embedded in trade agreements, making it essential to plan strategically for long-term compliance. Jane Nalunga, executive director at SEATINI, said.

“The EUDR presents not only challenges but also a wake-up call to make strategic painful choices, explore alternative markets, and seize opportunities to align trade with Africa’s development priorities.”

Without substantial support, experts say, Africa could lose an estimated $5.93b in cocoa exports alone, with women, youth and small enterprises likely to suffer the most. Campaigners warn this risks creating a two-tier system where large multinational companies adapt while small farmers are excluded.

“Vocal and Voice networks are interested in four aspects of sustainability in the cocoa and coffee supply chains. Decolonising trade and policy environment, equitable value and risk distribution, responsible environmental stewardship, and protection of human rights,” Ashlee Tuttieman, Global Coffee Lead at VOCAL (Voice of Organisations in Coffee Alliance) Network, said.

They argue that the EU’s approach undermines Africa’s own efforts at building food sovereignty, adding value to its raw materials and pushing for industrialisation.

It also risks clashing with commitments under the World Trade Organisation, existing Economic Partnership Agreements and Africa’s continental trade framework, the African Continental Free Trade Area.

The Rights groups are urging African governments to take a stronger role in shaping trade rules by aligning them with continental blueprints such as Agenda 2063 and the AfCFTA.

They also called for more investment in farmer education, traceability systems and regulatory infrastructure to prepare institutions for the shift toward green trade.

The civil society groups have appealed to the EU and other global partners to create more inclusive mechanisms that give African producer groups a voice in the design of sustainability policies.

They also pressed for dedicated financing, flexible timelines for compliance, and revenue-sharing schemes that would channel carbon revenues into climate-smart agriculture and manufacturing in Africa.