Seven legal requirements for Cameroonian cocoa on the European market.
As of 31 December 2025, Cameroonian cocoa must comply with a number of legal requirements if it is to be sold on the European market, which is the main outlet for Cameroonian cocoa beans. Actors of the cocoa industry must align with the following seven requirements of the European Union's (EU) Deforestation Regulation.
- respect for land-use rights,
- environmental protection,
- respect for the rights of third parties
- respect for labour rights
- respect for human rights protected by international law,
- the principle of free consent concerning the rights of indigenous peoples,
- compliance with tax, anti-corruption, trade and customs regulations.
The EU's sustainable cocoa program highlights that cocoa farming in Cameroon, most of which takes place in forest ecosystems, must ensure the preservation of plant and animal species. A recent study by the European Union revealed that “Riverbanks are particularly fragile ecosystems in which cocoa is often produced and poses a potentially high risk of degradation. Moreover, some protected species of fauna may be found on farms, and illegal hunting practices may exist on farms close to native forests and protected areas”.
Source “Business in Cameroon”