EU institutions agree to delay the EU Deforestation Regulation by 12 months
On 3 December, the EU Commission, EU Parliament and EU Member States reached a provisional agreement to delay the EUDR application requirements by 12 months, as initially proposed by the Commission on 2 October. The agreement does not imply any further changes to the EUDR text, beyond the amendment of the application dates.
To reach an agreement between the parties, the Commission committed to ensuring that the EUDR Information System—a centralised platform for submitting due diligence statements—and the country benchmarking system will be fully operational at least six months before the new application deadlines.
In the general review, by June 2028, the Commission will assess the need for additional measures, including simplifying obligations for commodities and products coming from low-risk countries.
In addition, the Commission will help companies and national Competent Authorities to implement the legislation with future iterations of the EUDR FAQ, Guidance and training.
amfori has actively contributed to the legislative and implementation processes of the EUDR and will continue to support its members through the amfori Deforestation Policy Group.
What does the agreed proposal entail?
The proposal extends most of the EUDR implementation dates by 12 months:
- Application date for large and medium companies: from 30 December 2024 to 30 December 2025
- Application date for small and micro companies: from 30 June 2025 to 30 June 2026
- Repeal and applicability of the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR): from 31 December 2027 to 31 December 2028
To ensure that EUDR actors have enough time to prepare, the country benchmarking system –a key tool for EUDR implementation– shall be adopted by 30 June 2025 at the latest.
For further information about the EUDR and/or how to join the amfori Deforestation Policy Group, please contact Amanda Soler Guzman, Advocacy & Engagement Advisor, at amanda.soler@amfori.org