Negotiators from the European Union’s key institutions reached a consensus on Tuesday to delay the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation by one year. The revised timeline sets the enforcement date for December 30, 2025, while maintaining the regulation’s original provisions without incorporating proposed amendments.
The European Commission had proposed the delay in October, citing concerns raised by 20 EU member states, businesses, and trading partners, including Brazil and Indonesia. EU governments supported this postponement, while the European Parliament sought additional changes, including a “no risk” designation for certain countries—primarily EU members—which would have reduced compliance checks. However, negotiators ultimately agreed to uphold the existing rules.
Under the updated schedule, large operators and traders must comply with the regulation by late 2025, with smaller enterprises granted an additional six months to adjust. This extension aims to provide adequate preparation time for companies globally.
To ensure smooth implementation, the Commission committed to evaluating whether compliance requirements can be streamlined for countries practicing sustainable forest management. Additionally, an “emergency break” mechanism was introduced to address potential delays if the compliance system is not fully operational or if the classification of countries is not published at least six months before the regulation’s enforcement.
The European People’s Party (EPP), the largest political group in the European Parliament, welcomed the inclusion of these contingency measures and the revised timeline, emphasizing the need for pragmatic solutions to balance sustainability with economic adaptability.
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