EU backs one-year delay to EUDR delay and looks at revising regulation

for a year, EUDR covers seven commodities linked to deforestation – palm oil, soyabean, timber, rubber, coffee, cocoa and cattle. Traders and operators who would like to use or sell these products in the EU must prove that they are deforestation-free, legally produced, and traceable to their source by submitting due diligence statements (DDGs) on an IT system supporting the law. In a statement on 19 November, the EU Council – which represents the governments of EU member states – said its aim was to simplify the existing rules and to postpone their application to allow operators, traders and authorities time to prepare fully for its introduction. It has proposed a one-year delay covering all operators until 30 December 2026, with an extra six-month “cushion” for micro and small operators to 30 June 2027. The council said it had removed the ‘grace period’ initially proposed by the European Commission (EC) for large and medium companies, opting instead for a clear extension of the ...