EU Cocoa Coalition
The EU Cocoa Coalition: industry advocacy for due diligence regulations
The EU Cocoa Coalition was a group of almost all of the world’s largest chocolate companies, calling on the European Union – by far the largest importer and consumer of cocoa in the world – to put in place a mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence regulations and in parallel to negotiate bilateral agreements with cocoa origin governments to create the frameworks necessary to achieve this aim and provide financial and technical support to those governments to do so.
The EU Cocoa Coalition was disbanded in October 2025, and is followed up by the EU Sustainable Supply Chain Coalition (EUSSCC).
History
In December 2019, a group of companies (Barry Callebaut AG, Mars Wrigley and Mondelēz International), The VOICE Network, Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade, called on the European Union – by far the largest importer and consumer of cocoa in the world – to put in place a mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence regulation and in parallel to negotiate bilateral agreements with cocoa origin governments to create the frameworks necessary to achieve this aim and provide financial and technical support to those governments to do so.
Since the original publication of this call for an EU Due Diligence requirement, various cocoa and chocolate companies have joined this group, that is by now being called the Cocoa Coalition. This Cocoa Coalition now includes a group of companies (Ferrero, Hershey, Mars Wrigley, Mondelēz International, Nestle, Tony’s Chocolonely, Unilever), certification organisations (Fairtrade International, Rainforest Alliance), NGOs (Fair Trade Advocacy Office, Solidaridad, VOICE Network) and multi-stakeholder organisations (International Cocoa Initiative).
Position papers
– The first general position paper can be found here (December 2019)
– Suggestions for the design of bilateral agreements with cocoa producing countries to strengthen an enabling environment (June 2021)
– Suggestions for an EU mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence regulation (French translation also available) (October 2021)
– A detailed response to the EU Deforestation Regulation (March 2022)
– A detailed response to the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (September 2022)
– A statement on the proposed EU Forced Labour regulation (April 2023)
– A statement welcoming the outcome of the trilogue on the CSDDD (December 2023)
– A statement sent to the German chancellory in support of the CSDDD (February 2024)
– A statement welcoming the adoption of the CSDDD by the EU (July 2024)
– A statement opposing calls to reopen the substance of the EUDR, and urging immediate release of guidance documents and FAQ (October 2 2024)
– A statement opposing reopening the substance of the EU Deforestation Regulation (October 16 2024)
– A statement on the proposed reopening (Omnibus) of the CSDDD regulation (February 2025)
– A statement on specific elements of the new Omnibus CSDDD regulation (April 2025)
– A cross commodity statement on the reopening of the EUDR (October 2nd 2025)
Updated with new signatories October 3rd.
Updated with new signatories October 7th.
– A report on a conference at the European Parliament, hosted by Pascal Canfin, Renew MEP, called ‘Time to Deliver‘.
– Join statement; Companies in food, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber and timber sectors call for no delay in EUDR. November 17th:
