EU eases reporting burden under deforestation-free supply chains law
New amendments aim to simplify due diligence requirements for large firms while enhancing global engagement and training on EUDR compliance.
GLOBAL – The European Commission has introduced adjustments to the implementation process of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), softening due diligence reporting requirements for large companies and aiming to reduce the administrative burden by approximately 30%.
The changes are intended to ease compliance for businesses operating within the EU while maintaining the law’s core objective of preventing deforestation in supply chains.
Enacted in 2022, the EUDR targets coffee and six other agricultural commodities linked to deforestation. The regulation was initially set for full implementation by 2024.
However, following extensive industry feedback, the Commission postponed the enforcement date for large companies to December 30, 2025. Smaller and micro-enterprises are now expected to comply by June 2026.
The revised measures address logistical and compliance concerns raised by stakeholders, particularly in the coffee and agricultural sectors.
Under the new framework, companies may submit due diligence statements on an annual basis rather than for each individual shipment entering the EU.
Furthermore, businesses will be permitted to reuse due diligence declarations when goods previously marketed within the EU are re-imported, thereby reducing duplication of effort.
The Commission also outlined simplifications in the “ascertaining” process—whereby large downstream companies can benefit from eased verification procedures to confirm due diligence obligations have been fulfilled.
These modifications are designed to enhance operational efficiency while preserving the regulation’s overarching goals.
Despite these changes, the updated rules do not explicitly address the challenges faced by smallholder coffee farmers, who have been a central concern in industry discussions. Nonetheless, the Commission has reaffirmed its commitment to an inclusive implementation strategy.
To support the transition, the Commission has intensified its outreach through the Strategic Framework for Cooperation and Engagement. Since 2024, over 300 meetings have been conducted with stakeholders—including businesses, civil society groups, and international partners.
The Commission has also hosted more than 50 webinars with 15,500 participant slots and provided multilingual training materials and videos to aid understanding of the Information System used for compliance reporting.
In addition, EUR 86 million (US$8.34M) has been mobilised under the Team Europe Initiative on Deforestation-free Value Chains to assist partner countries in building sustainable, legal, and deforestation-free supply chains.
The Commission stated it will continue engaging with member states and stakeholders to provide further support and guidance as the law moves towards full implementation.
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