Looking Back, Looking Forward: Perspectives on the integration of indigenous peoples’ and forest peoples’ rights in EU law, policy and practice

This new report reflects on the achievements and continued challenges for the integration of indigenous and forest peoples rights in EU law, policy and practice. It is a compilation of the perspectives of 15 representatives from a wide variety of backgrounds, from indigenous peoples and global south civil society organisations, to lawyers, campaigners and policymakers. 

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Over the course of the last two years, the EU has adopted multiple pieces of legislation with relevance to indigenous peoples’ and forest peoples’ rights – including in particular the legislation related to deforestation (the European Deforestation Regulation - EUDR) and to human rights and environmental due diligence by businesses (the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive - CSDDD). Yet these long-awaited pieces of legislation have also been swept up in a broader political and electoral backlash against progressive policies, that saw the CSDDD reopened and watered down before its final adoption, and the EUDR likely amended to delay its implementation.

At this pivotal moment, it seems important to reflect on the achievements, attained through years of committed advocacy by indigenous peoples, forest peoples and allies, and on the continued challenges for the integration of indigenous peoples’ and forest peoples’ rights in EU law, policy and practice, and explore new directions for advocacy in the EU context. ‘Looking back, looking forward’ compiles the perspectives of 15 representatives from indigenous peoples, civil society organisations from the global south, researchers, lawyers, campaigners, activists and policy makers on this question.

Their diverse backgrounds offer insight into a wide range of issues. There are also however some common themes that emerge across the interviews:

• Looking back, there has been a noticeable increase in visibility of indigenous peoples’ and forest peoples’ concerns in policy processes in the EU and globally in the past few decades.

• Despite this visibility, for now this has had little or no impact on the ground for affected indigenous peoples and forest peoples.

• Proactive consultation and inclusion of indigenous peoples and forest peoples in legislative and policy processes is still lacking.

• Within the EU, some countries (and particularly those with indigenous peoples) are still reluctant to support integration of indigenous peoples’ rights in EU law and policy. 

• There is a need for the EU to support more work with indigenous peoples and forest peoples in their national contexts. 

• Looking forward, the EU must be vigilant to ensure that the green transition, and the mineral resources sought for it, do not come at the expense of the rights of indigenous peoples and forest peoples.