Ivory Coast’s Cocoa Export to EU Faces Traceability Requirement from 2025

The Ivory Coast‘s cocoa export to the European Union (EU) will undergo significant changes from 2025 as a new traceability requirement is set to take effect. Fadiga Mamadou Deye, the delegate of the Coffee-Cocoa Council (CCC) for the Ivorian region of Haut-Sassandra, announced this development during a workshop in Gagnoa, a town in southern Ivory Coast.

Starting from January 2025, Ivory Coast can only export cocoa to the EU if the origin of the cocoa is known. The primary objective behind this measure is to promote the sustainability of the coffee-cocoa sector. Traceability will involve geolocating production plots and establishing a cocoa marketing mechanism that enables tracing its journey from plantations to shipment ports.

An important factor driving the adoption of this traceability requirement is the project, “Protection and Action against Hazardous Child Labor,” jointly launched by the EU and Save the Children, a non-governmental organization. The project aims to address issues faced by children, their families, and their communities, preventing their involvement in dangerous work associated with cocoa exploitation. Additionally, the project focuses on protecting forests in targeted areas and encouraging child education.

Fadiga highlighted that cooperative partners of the project have been informed in advance about the implementation of the traceability component. Collaboration between the Ivorian government, the CCC, and the project stakeholders paved the way for this measure. It is worth noting that Ivory Coast may receive a potential two-year extension despite the set deadline.