EU leaders agree to delay & simplify deforestation-free rules

The Council presidency and the European Parliament have reached a provisional political agreement to revise the EU’s deforestation-free products regulation (EUDR), aiming to ease implementation and give businesses and authorities more time to prepare. The deal responds to concerns from member states and industry about administrative burdens, technical readiness and delays in the EU’s new information system.

Under the agreement, the application of the EUDR will be pushed to December 30, 2026, for all operators, with an additional six-month cushion for micro and small operators. Lawmakers also removed the Commission’s initially proposed grace period for larger firms, choosing instead a single, clear extension for everyone.

A key simplification concerns due diligence responsibilities. Only the first operator placing a product on the EU market will be required to submit the due diligence statement.

The first downstream operator will merely need to collect and store the reference number of that initial declaration, reducing paperwork throughout the supply chain, Council of the EU said in a release.

Micro and small primary operators will submit a one-time simplified declaration and receive a declaration identifier, which will suffice for traceability. The co-legislators also agreed to remove certain low-risk printed products—such as books, newspapers and printed pictures—from the scope of the regulation to cut unnecessary compliance requirements.

Both institutions emphasised the need for ongoing dialogue with experts and stakeholders through the Commission’s existing multi-stakeholder platform on protecting and restoring forests. Competent authorities will also be required to report IT system disruptions to the Commission, with flexible procedures to avoid excessive administrative load.

The European Commission must now conduct a simplification review and deliver a report by April 30, 2026, assessing the regulation’s impact, particularly on smaller operators, and proposing solutions such as improved guidance or system upgrades. A legislative proposal may accompany the report if needed.

The provisional agreement will next be formally endorsed and adopted by the Council and Parliament before replacing the current EUDR.

ALCHEMPro News Desk (HU)