EU Proposes Relaxing Key Provisions of Landmark Anti-Deforestation Law
Brussels - The European Commission on Tuesday recommended easing requirements within it’s recently adopted law aimed at curbing deforestation-linked imports, a move that follows critically important opposition from major trading partners and concerns over implementation challenges. The proposed changes, which still require approval from member states and the European Parliament, represent a scaling back of some of the law’s most ambitious elements.
The law, formally known as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), was adopted in 2023 and intended to ban imports of products contributing to deforestation globally.It was hailed by environmental groups as a crucial step towards protecting forests, but quickly met resistance from countries like Brazil and the United States, who argued the increased paperwork and costs woudl harm businesses. The Commission’s recommendations aim to address these concerns and streamline implementation.
Originally slated to take affect at the end of 2024, the EUDR has already seen its implementation delayed twice, with the current deadline set for late 2026. The Commission now proposes moving the deadline back to the end of 2025 for larger companies, while smaller firms would retain the later deadline of the end of 2026. A six-month grace period will also be granted to larger companies to facilitate compliance.
A key change involves limiting the scope of required deforestation statements.The Commission has removed a provision that would have required companies involved in purchasing, processing, and selling affected goods to submit statements, restricting the obligation to importers themselves. Additionally, small-hold producers will now only need to provide a one-off declaration.
The EUDR targets a range of commodities linked to deforestation, including coffee, cocoa, soy, timber, palm oil, cattle, printing paper, and rubber. Under the original law, companies importing these goods into the EU were required to provide proof demonstrating their products did not originate from deforested areas, frequently enough necessitating geolocation and satellite data.
The proposed revisions come as the EU seeks to balance its environmental goals with the economic realities faced by both European businesses and its trading partners. The Commission’s recommendations now face scrutiny from the European Parliament and member states, with a final decision expected in the coming months.
