The Council formally adopted a targeted revision of the EU regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR), aimed at simplifying its implementation and ensuring that operators, traders and authorities are adequately prepared for its application. The revision streamlines the due diligence requirements and postpones the application of the regulation for all operators until 30 December 2026, with an extra six-month cushion for micro and small operators. This responds to concerns raised by member states and stakeholders regarding administrative burden and the readiness of the IT system necessary for the effective functioning of the EUDR, while fully preserving the regulation’s objectives of preventing deforestation and forest degradation linked to products placed on the EU market. To further reduce administrative burden, certain printed products (such as books, newspapers, printed pictures) were removed from the scope of the regulation, reflecting the limited deforestation risk associated with these items.

Additional coverage by Gordon Murray, Wood Pellet Association of Canada: WPAC discusses EUDR amendment