Rome, 18 February 2026

We participated in the event “Stop the Clock: Environmental Commitments – Between Regulatory Decisions and Voluntary Corporate Actions,” organized by the Università degli Studi di Padova in collaboration with Etifor | Valuing Nature and Fòrema, as part of the European project EMMA4EU. The insightful meeting brought together academics, companies, and NGOs to examine the future of European sustainability policies.

During the roundtable “European regulations: delays and revisions – impacts and positions compared,” Pietro Paganini had the opportunity to engage with Edoardo Nevola (WWF Italy), Antonio Nicoletti (Legambiente), and Francesca Ronca (Unione Italiana per l’Olio di Palma Sostenibile), discussing the different perspectives on regulation and commitments.

Environmental regulations between shared goals and economic risks

During the roundtable discussion, Pietro Paganini highlighted that the Green Deal can still become a green opportunity.  The EU Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR) illustrates well the paradox Europe is currently facing: while its objective of reducing environmental impact across global value chains is widely shared, the way the regulation has been designed risks turning a potentially transformative tool into a source of economic rigidity.

If conceived within a framework of creative destruction, in partnership with businesses, and embedded in a broader industrial strategy, EUDR could have become a platform to modernize supply chains, accelerate digitalization, increase agricultural productivity, and strengthen relationships with producing countries. In other words, it could have combined sustainability, growth, and geopolitics. That is not what has happened so far. Today, the risk is a shift from green ideology to economic conservatism, characterized by regulation that protects existing structures and generates uncertainty rather than driving transformation.

Turning constraints into opportunities

Practical experience from several sectors shows that when incentives are clear and policy direction is consistent, transformation follows. The palm oil sector, often portrayed as the problem, has in several respects transformed EUDR into an opportunity. Producing countries and companies have invested heavily in supply chain digitalization and traceability systems, with large parts of the sector now substantially compliant or close to compliance. The main challenge remains for smallholders, but this is a manageable transition issue rather than a structural barrier.

The central question, therefore, becomes political: how can EUDR be transformed from a constraint into an opportunity?

A shift in approach is needed. EUDR should be accompanied by industrial policy tools that support European companies in innovating, investing, and adapting; encourage new technological startups; strengthen partnerships with producing countries; and integrate sustainability and competitiveness into a coherent strategy. Moving beyond the ideological confrontation between environmental activism and corporatist conservatism is essential. Sustainability should not be a symbolic battle; it must function as a driver of development. In this context, the Green Deal can still evolve into a genuine agenda for growth and competitiveness. Integrating it into Europe’s emerging industrial strategy and geopolitical vision would allow the EU to strengthen its international position while creating a true “archipelago” of value chains and cooperation. Nothing is lost – but the time to adjust the course is limited.

AGENDA