Following mounting pressure from global partners, businesses, and even some EU member states, the European Commission announced on October 2 a proposal to delay the implementation of its groundbreaking deforestation law by 12 months.
The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) aims to prohibit the import and sale of products linked to deforestation or forest degradation in the EU market. It targets key commodities such as cocoa, coffee, soy, beef, palm oil, rubber, wood and their derivatives like leather and furniture. Under the regulation, companies would be required to provide evidence that their goods were not sourced from deforested land, implementing robust due diligence and traceability systems using methods such as satellite monitoring and geolocation data.
The law was hailed as a significant step toward addressing global deforestation and climate change, with the EU being the second-largest contributor to deforestation through its imports after China, according to WWF data. It was originally set to take effect on December 30, 2024. However, the Commission is now proposing to push that deadline to December 30, 2025 for large companies, and June 30, 2026 for small and medium enterprises.
Under pressure
This decision follows months of lobbying by different actors. Countries like Brazil, Indonesia and Malaysia, argue that the law could negatively impact their economies, particularly small-scale farmers, and businesses are concerned about their readiness to comply with the new regulations. “Global partners have repeatedly expressed concerns about their state of preparedness, most recently during the UN General Assembly week in New York”1 the Commission stated.
Politically, the delay has also sparked debate within the EU. Some EU member states, including Czechia and Germany, have pushed for postponing the law, fearing it would impose unreasonable bureaucratic and economic burdens on their industries. Czech Agriculture Minister Marek Výborný commented, “I have been campaigning for a postponement of the deforestation regulation for a long time”2, citing concerns about the impact on certain businesses. Many EU member states argue that the timeline for compliance was too aggressive, leading to the decision to extend the implementation deadline.
On the other hand, the decision has been criticised by politicians and by some companies that have already invested heavily in preparing for the original deadline. Former EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius, who drafted the original legislation, expressed concern that the delay would “put 80,000 acres (32,375 hectares) of forest at risk each day, fuel 15% of global carbon emissions, break trust with the EU’s global partners and damage its credibility on its climate commitments”3. Ferrero, Mars Wrigley, Mondelēz International, Nestlé and Tony’s Chocolonely have consistently supported the introduction of the EUDR and oppose any calls to reopen its substance.4
Environmental groups are highly critical of the Commission, accusing it of bowing to industry pressure while ignoring the environmental costs of continuing. Julian Oram, senior policy director at Mighty Earth, condemned the delay, stating, “Delaying the EUDR is like throwing a fire extinguisher out of the window of a burning building.”5 “Von der Leyen might as well have wielded the chainsaw herself”6 Greenpeace stated, while WWF’s Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove stated, “President Von der Leyen is effectively giving her green light for deforestation to continue for another 12 months at a time when urgent action is needed to stop it.”7
The Rainforest Alliance views it as a “blatant contradiction with all EU commitments to halt global biodiversity loss and climate change”. The organization warned that the postponement could set “a dangerous precedent, potentially leading to the reopening of other crucial regulations and directives adopted as part of the EU Green Deal.”8
“No second thoughts” and guidance document
Despite the proposed delay, the European Commission emphasizes that this does not put into question the objectives or substance of the law. The additional 12 months are intended to as a “phase-in period to ensure proper and effective implementation” without compromising the law’s objectives. “Given the EUDR’s novel character, the swift calendar, and the variety of international stakeholders involved, the Commission considers that a 12-month additional time to phase in the system is a balanced solution to support operators around the world in securing a smooth implementation from the start.”9
As part of its announcement, the Commission also released new guidance documents and updated FAQs aimed at clarifying compliance requirements and providing support for businesses during this transition phase and assist national authorities in enforcing them. This includes establishing a single point of contact for IT support and detailed user instructions for navigating compliance processes. The Commission is also intensifying dialogues with concerned countries and has announced that the country benchmarking system will be finalized by June 30, 2025.
Next Steps and Implications
The proposed delay must still be approved by the European Parliament and the Council before it can take effect. As the EU continues to position itself as a leader in climate action, the fate of the EUDR will be closely watched by environmental advocates, industry leaders, and global partners alike. There are concerns among some lawmakers and environmental groups that reopening the file could lead to attempts to weaken the regulation’s provisions.
Samuel Poos, Project manager of the Enabel’s Trade for Development Centre.
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Sources:
- 1. European Commission, Commission strengthens support for EU Deforestation Regulation implementation and proposes extra 12 months of phasing-in time, responding to calls by global partners, press release, Oct 2, 2024.
- 2. Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro, Delay in EU anti-deforestation enforcement leaves little time to make changes, Euractiv, October 2, 2024.
- 3. Jennifer Rankin, Former EU environment chief hits out at plans to delay anti-deforestation law, The Guardian, October 2, 2024.
- 4. VOICE Network, Companies and CSOs oppose any calls to reopen the EUDR, October 2, 2024.
- 5. Mighty Earth Responds to EUDR Delay: “Delaying EUDR is like throwing a fire extinguisher out of the window of a burning building”, October 3,2024.
- 6. Greenpeace European Unit, “Von der Leyen might as well have wielded the chainsaw herself”, EU forest law delay, press release, October 2, 2024.
- 7. Jennifer Rankin, op.cit., October 2, 2024.
- 8. The Rainforest Alliance, Our Response to the EU Commission’s Proposal to Delay EUDR, October 3, 2024.
- 9. European Commission, op. cit., October 2, 2024.