The European Parliament has backed draft legislation which would ban the importation of certain goods responsible for deforestation.
Live cattle, beef, soya, cocoa, coffee, palm oil are among the potential list of products and materials put forward by MEPs which also includes wood and leather.
Negotiations will now start with EU ministers to try and finalise the law.
If the legislation is given the green light, it would mean that products could only be imported into the EU if they are proven to be ‘deforestation-free’.
It is estimated that the EU market is responsible for 10% of deforestation around the world.
Green Party MEP, Ciarán Cuffe told EuroParlRadio that such a ban will help protect vulnerable habitats.
“I think it is a really important step in the right direction. We’ve all seen the photographs of forests being pulled down in the Amazon and elsewhere.
“What people don’t know is that an awful lot of this deforestation is due to European demand; European consumers simply choosing products that are causing deforestation elsewhere.
“So what this new law of the European Union will do is make it much more difficult for companies and products that lead to deforestation being put on the market in Europe or being exported through Europe to elsewhere.
“Whether it is rubber plantations in the Far East or whether it’s the Amazon rainforest, this is a good news story for us.
“It’s good for biodiversity and I think it sends a very positive message out there that we cherish biodiversity and we want forests to be protected.”
However, the Green MEP for Dublin said that he was unsure if the legislation would be strong enough as “up to now, dictators have called the shots”.
“They have been able to use loopholes in the law to export products that are causing deforestation. This is the first step.
“This will still have to go to trialogue between the European Council and the [European] commission. But I am hopeful that we’ll get a good result for forests once this becomes law over the next couple of years,” Cuffe concluded.