Deforestation: EUDR implementation postponed for one year

The European Parliament has approved the postponement of the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) until 30 December 2026 for large companies and 30 June 2027 for SMEs. This extension is intended to allow a smoother transition and improve the associated IT system. The legislator has also simplified the obligations. Only the first operators placing a product on the EU market will be required to submit due diligence declarations. In addition, SMEs will now only have to submit a single declaration. Printed products have been removed from the scope of application. Finally, the European Commission will have to evaluate the impact of the law and its administrative burden by 30 April. The text now requires approval by the Council and publication in the EU’s Official Journal before the end of the year.