October 22, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is intensifying efforts to prepare its rubber industry for the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), with government officials and industry stakeholders discussing the measures needed to protect export opportunities while meeting increasingly stringent environmental requirements.
The Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure and the European Union Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives jointly organised a technical workshop in Colombo on Wednesday (21), bringing together policymakers, industry representatives and other stakeholders to examine the regulation’s implications for the country’s rubber trade.
The programme was conducted under the EU-funded Green Recovery Facility (GRF), implemented by Expertise France, with the aim of improving awareness of the regulatory framework and helping Sri Lankan exporters understand the systems required to demonstrate compliance.
The EUDR is designed to limit the European market’s contribution to global deforestation and forest degradation by establishing requirements for commodities including cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya and wood.
For Sri Lanka, the regulation has particular significance because natural rubber and a range of rubber-based products, including tyres, hoses and conveyor belts, fall within its scope. Exporters therefore face the need to establish reliable systems for tracing products through supply chains, maintaining accurate production records and coordinating information among producers, processors and traders.
Addressing the workshop, Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure Gunadasa Samarasinghe stressed that early preparation would be essential to ensuring the country’s rubber industry could adapt to changing international sustainability standards without undermining its position in overseas markets.
He highlighted the sector’s contribution to the national economy and its importance to the livelihoods of a large number of people involved in rubber cultivation, processing and trade.
Samarasinghe said producers, processors and exporters needed to develop the knowledge and practical capabilities required to meet the regulation’s obligations. He also emphasised the value of engaging directly with European Commission officials to clarify outstanding questions and identify workable approaches to implementation.
Such engagement, he noted, would help Sri Lanka protect the interests of those dependent on the rubber industry while preserving access to the European market.
Virginie Lafleur-Tighe, Head of Partnerships at the EU Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, reaffirmed the European Union’s willingness to assist the country through technical cooperation, improved traceability systems and support for producers, including smallholders.
She said the shared objective was to encourage more sustainable production practices, protect forests and maintain responsible trading relationships between Sri Lanka and the European Union.
The technical sessions provided further insight into the practical implications of the regulation. European Commission Policy Officer Alessio Cartosio outlined the EUDR’s objectives, the responsibilities placed on operators and traders within the EU market, and the potential consequences for producers and exporters in countries supplying covered commodities.
Peter Aldinger, a forest governance expert at the European Forest Institute (EFI), presented findings from the institute’s 2025 assessment of Sri Lanka’s preparedness for the regulation, with particular attention to the rubber industry.
Representatives from the Rubber Development Department, the Planters’ Association of Ceylon and the Colombo Rubber Traders’ Association also participated in discussions, highlighting the importance of cooperation between public institutions and private-sector stakeholders.
The discussions focused on implementation challenges and the need for more effective coordination across the supply chain. Reliable production information, accessible records and clear procedures for tracking rubber from its origin to the finished product were identified as important elements in strengthening preparedness.
Concluding the workshop, Expertise France Country Representative and Portfolio Manager in Sri Lanka Mahmoud Gaballah stressed that awareness of the regulation would need to be translated into concrete action.
He highlighted the importance of improving traceability, strengthening access to dependable information and ensuring that the institutions involved could work together effectively. These measures, he said, would help Sri Lanka respond to international regulatory requirements while enhancing the transparency, sustainability and competitiveness of its export industries.
The workshop forms part of wider EU-supported efforts to help Sri Lanka adapt to evolving environmental standards affecting international commerce.
For the country’s rubber industry, the challenge will be to turn regulatory awareness into practical compliance systems that can be implemented throughout the supply chain, including by smaller producers. The effectiveness of that transition could have important implications for export access, rural livelihoods and the long-term competitiveness of Sri Lankan rubber in the European market.
