The European Parliament has voted to approve a one-year delay in its EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) implementation.
This decision has been made in response to EU member states, non-EU countries, traders and operators who raised concerns they cannot comply with the rules if applied by the end of 2024.
The EUDR was created to ensure EU timber imports come from sustainable sources and expects companies to demonstrate the products they export or make available on the European market are deforestation-free and not linked to forest degradation, or illegal harvesting or trade.
It is hoped the delay will give large operators and traders additional time prepare for the implementation of EUDR on the 30 December 2025. Micro and small enterprises will have until 30 June 2026.
As part of EUDR, the parliament also announced a proposal for a four-tier deforestation risk framework, introducing a ‘no risk’ category. This applies to countries that have enforced regulations on preventing deforestation and maintaining forest conservation, and have stable or increasing forest area developments since 1990 and therefore pose no risk of deforestation.
Richard Kelly, managing director of Foresight Group, said: “We are disappointed to learn that the European Parliament has voted to approve a one-year delay in its implementation of the EUDR.
“While this provides additional time for businesses to prepare, Foresight backs this regulation and believes urgent action is needed to address deforestation and protect our global forests. We hope this delay will be used to strengthen the measures that will be used to enforce this regulation, provide clear guidance to businesses, and ensure that the regulation delivers meaningful progress in combating deforestation and supporting sustainable global supply chains.
“A positive takeaway is the addition of the fourth risk category, ‘no risk’. This will make it easier for timber to be imported from ‘safe’ counties that fit within the assessment criteria. This addition will also bring greater clarity to the industry, ensuring that we know which countries are taking forestry, its preservation and the Paris Agreement to meet global climate goals.”
