The Second Joint Working Group (JWG) Meeting on Palm Oil between the European Union and relevant ASEAN Member States was held virtually on 28 June 2022. The meeting was co-chaired by Director-General of ASEAN-Malaysia National Secretariat H.E. Dato’ Zanariah Zainal Abidin and Deputy Managing Director for the Asia and the Pacific, European External Action Service (EEAS) H.E. Paola Pampaloni. The meeting brought together representatives from Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Lao PDR, the European Commission and the European External Action Service.

Participants reconfirmed their longstanding relationship, based on mutual interests, developed, through, among others, the EU-ASEAN Strategic Partnership. Moreover,  participants noted that the Second JWG Meeting was convened as part of the continued commitment reached at the 23^rd ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting to address the challenges faced in sustainable vegetable oil production, through practical dialogue between relevant ASEAN Member States and the EU.

Participants engaged in constructive discussions on trends and challenges in ensuring sustainable vegetable oils. The current disruptions in the global supply chains of vegetable oils and their impact on increasing prices and food insecurity were raised. Participants also discussed the importance of promoting mutual understanding on the economic, social, and environmental challenges affecting vegetable oils with a view to addressing them in a holistic and transparent manner.

Participants shared relevant information with a view to establishing a mutual understanding of sustainability criteria, procedures of compliance with laws, processes of certification, and monitoring and enforcement of certification standards. Participants agreed that sustainability criteria should be based on the overarching framework provided by the Agenda 2030 and its Sustainable Development Goals, as well as to take into account the Paris Agreement. The Meeting agreed to further discuss sustainability criteria through, among others, initiatives such as studies, webinars, seminars or other exchanges between experts. They also agreed to hold the third meeting of the Joint Working Group in Brussels in the first half of 2023.

Participants reaffirmed the importance of continuous engagement to promote sustainability efforts and practices in the vegetable oil sector, including palm oil, and other possible collaboration, with a view to strengthening mutual understanding, both in this and other fora.