A total of 581 representatives from cocoa exporting companies, producers’ associations, traders and technical experts from public and private institutions Participants from Ecuador took part in a series of webinars to enhance their knowledge of traceability and to facilitate the adaptation of the cocoa supply chain to the requirements of the European Union Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR), as well as the registration of operators in the GUIA system of the Agency for Phytosanitary and Zoosanitary Regulation and Control (Agrocalidad).

Entitled “Towards compliance with the European Union Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR)”, the webinar series It enabled participants to familiarise themselves with the main requirements of European legislation and the tools and processes needed to make progress towards compliance. Experts addressed theoretical and practical aspects of the traceability cocoa, the register of operators in the GUIA System and the georeferencing of the production plots.

The topics covered included the EUDR Regulation, the operation of Agrocalidad’s GUIA system, traceability and the georeferencing of cocoa plots. The series concluded with a presentation on the experience of the Union of Ecuadorian Cocoa Farmers’ Organisations (UNOCACE) and the SAFE project run by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), which enabled the sharing of lessons learnt and practical experiences from the cocoa supply chain regarding the process of adapting to the new requirements.

Trainer of Trainers II

The series of webinars took place from 28 July to 11 August and was attended by representatives from the provinces of Guayas, Esmeraldas, Los Ríos, El Oro, Santo Domingo, Pichincha, Sucumbíos and Orellana, amongst others.

This activity forms part of the project Trainer of Trainers II, a joint initiative between Agrocalidad and the AL-INVEST Verde programme, funded by the European Union, with technical support from Trias. As part of the project, technical visits are also being carried out to cocoa associations and companies to provide support with the registration of operators in Agrocalidad’s GUIA system and the georeferencing of plots.

Through these initiatives, the Train the Trainers II project contributes to to strengthen the capacity of companies, associations and producers in the traceability and georeferencing of cocoa production, which are key to facilitating compliance with the requirements of the EUDR. This Regulation will come into force on 30 December 2026 for large and medium-sized operators, and on 30 June 2027 for micro and small enterprises.

About AL-INVEST Verde

AL-INVEST Verde is a European Union (EU) programme whose main objective is to promote sustainable growth and job creation in Latin America by supporting the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient and more circular economy. Through Component 2, led by FIAP in consortium with IILA, the programme provides assistance for strengthening public policies and multi-stakeholder dialogues on sustainable agricultural and value chains, environmental and labour standards, as well as sustainable trade and economic policy and regulatory frameworks.