On 16th October, the  Council agreed on its position on the targeted amendment of the EU deforestation regulation, postponing its date of application by 12 months.

This postponement will allow third countries, member states, operators and traders to be fully prepared in their due diligence obligations, which is to ensure that certain commodities and products sold in the EU or exported from the EU are deforestation-free. This includes products made from cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, rubber, and some of their derived products.

More time given to better prepare for implementation

The deforestation regulation has already been in force since 29 June 2023 and its provisions are to be applied from 30 December 2024. The Council agreed to the Commission’s proposal to postpone the application date of the regulation by one year.

Therefore, if agreed by the European Parliament, the obligations stemming from this regulation will be binding from:

• 30 December 2025, for large operators and traders
• 30 June 2026, for micro- and small enterprises

This would give legal certainty, predictability and sufficient time for a smooth and effective implementation of the rules, including fully establishing due diligence systems covering all relevant commodities and products. These due diligence systems include identifying deforestation risks in supply chains as well as monitoring and reporting measures to prove compliance with EU rules.

Source: EU deforestation law: Council agrees to extend application timeline – Consilium (europa.eu)