The European Commission is today publishing additional guidance documents and a stronger international cooperation framework to support global stakeholders, member States and third countries in their preparations for the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation. Given feedback received from international partners about their state of preparations, the commission also proposes to give concerned parties additional time to prepare. If approved by the European Parliament and the Council, it would make the law applicable on December 30, 2025 for large companies and June 30, 2026 for micro- and small enterprises. Since all the implementation tools are technically ready, the extra 12 months can serve as a phasing-in period to ensure proper and effective implementation. 
 

The EU Deforestation Regulation aims to ensure that products placed on the European market will no longer contribute to deforestation and forest degradation in the EU and elsewhere in the world. Deforestation and forest degradation are important drivers of climate change and biodiversity loss — the two key environmental challenges of our time. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that 420 million hectares of forest — an area larger than the European Union — were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2020. Based on 2015–2020 deforestation rates, every hour the world is losing over nine times the forest surface of Brussels’ Bois de la Cambre, or every minute three times the surface of the Parc Léopold bordering the European Parliament in Brussels.

The co-legislators adopted the law in 2023, with overwhelming majorities both in the Parliament and in the Council. As part of the preparation of its 2021 proposal, the commission conducted a public consultation which attracted the second largest number of responses (almost 1.2 million), with the vast majority of stakeholders supporting an ambitious approach including mandatory due diligence.

The guidance presented today will provide additional clarity to companies and enforcing authorities to facilitate the application of the rules, coming on top of the Commission’s continuous support for stakeholders since the law’s adoption. At the same time, the Commission recognizes that three months ahead of the intended implementation date, several global partners have repeatedly expressed concerns about their state of preparedness, most recently during the United Nations General Assembly week in New York. Moreover, the state of preparations amongst stakeholders in Europe is also uneven. While many expect to be ready in time, thanks to intensive preparations, others have expressed concerns.

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. With this step, the Commission aims to provide certainty about the way forward and to ensure the success of the EUDR, which is paramount to address the EU’s contribution to the pressing global issue of deforestation. The extension proposal in no way puts into question the objectives or the substance of the law, as agreed by the EU co-legislators.

EDANA, the European-based nonwovens association, has voiced its support of the delay, saying it marks a significant step toward ensuring that the nonwovens industry has the necessary time to effectively comply with the terms of this important regulation, while also continuing to meet their sustainability goals. “While the long-awaited guidelines for implementing the EUDR have now been released alongside the announcement, the EU’s information system, designed to track materials and commodities, is still under development. As a key representative of the nonwovens sector, EDANA supports the regulation’s objectives and remains a constructive partner, actively contributing to discussions with policymakers and industry stakeholders,” the association said in a statement. “This additional phase-in time will enable further collaboration with the authorities and our coalition partners, ensuring a smooth transition for all affected industries. EDANA remains committed to promoting sustainable supply chains and responsible practices, while helping ensure compliance across the sector. Our ongoing work aims to foster long-term, sustainable growth for the industry.”