EU moves forward with postponement of the EUDR’s entry into force

The European Parliament approved on Wednesday a set of measures to simplify the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), in force since 2023. MEPs backed targeted changes aimed at making compliance easier for companies and supplier countries, after having agreed to fast-track the Commission’s proposal.

The most significant adjustment is a one-year postponement of the regulation’s obligations:

Large companies will need to comply with the EUDR from 30 December 2026.

Micro and small companies from 30 June 2027.

The goal is to ensure a smoother transition and allow time to upgrade the IT systems used for submitting due diligence statements.

MEPs also proposed simplifying due diligence requirements. Under the revised approach, the responsibility to file a due diligence statement would fall on the company that first places the product on the EU market, rather than on operators or traders who later commercialise it.

For micro and small primary operators, the requirement would be reduced to a one-off simplified declaration.

Parliament also requested a simplification review by 30 April 2026 to assess the regulation’s impact and administrative burden.

The text was approved by 402 votes to 250, with eight abstentions. Parliament is now ready to begin negotiations with EU member states on the final version of the law, which must be published before the end of 2025 for the one-year delay to take effect.

The EUDR aims to curb deforestation linked to EU consumption of products such as cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil, timber, rubber, printed paper and beef. According to FAO, 420 million hectares of forest were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020, with the EU responsible for about 10% of global deforestation.