EU agrees to one-year delay for deforestation regulation implementation

GLOBAL – The European Union (EU) has reached a provisional agreement to postpone the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year, providing businesses and stakeholders additional time to comply with its requirements. 

Under the revised timeline, large companies will now have until December 30, 2025, to implement the regulation, while smaller businesses will have until June 30, 2026.  

The agreement, approved by the European Council and Parliament on December 3, 2024, maintains the substance of the existing rules, according to a statement from the Council. 

The decision aims to ensure that member states, third countries, operators, and traders have sufficient time to meet their due diligence obligations. These obligations mandate that specified commodities and products, such as cocoa, coffee, and palm oil, sold in or exported from the EU are proven to be deforestation-free. 

Initially announced in 2021, the EUDR was set to come into effect on December 30, 2024. However, the regulation faced calls from the food industry to extend the deadline, citing the need for additional preparation time. 

The provisional agreement excludes amendments proposed by the EU Parliament in November, which sought to introduce a “no risk” clause to reduce the regulatory burden for countries not associated with deforestation. 

The European Commission has pledged to finalize the deforestation risk classification system six months before the revised implementation date.  

Additionally, the agreement includes a commitment to analyze measures for simplifying and reducing administrative burdens during the regulation’s general review, scheduled for completion by June 30, 2028. 

European People’s Party (EPP) Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Christine Schneider welcomed the postponement, stating, “This postponement means businesses, foresters, farmers, and authorities will have an additional year to prepare.” 

She added that the Parliament would closely monitor the Commission’s efforts to reduce bureaucracy during the process. 

The provisional deal will now require formal endorsement by both the European Council and Parliament.  

Once adopted, it will be published in the Official Journal of the EU to ensure it enters into force before the current regulation’s original application date of December 30, 2024. 

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