EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)

The EU Deforestation Regulation, formally Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, was adopted in May 2023 and replaces the earlier EU Timber Regulation. It prohibits placing on the EU market—or exporting from it—seven commodities and their derived products unless they are deforestation-free, produced in line with the laws of the country of origin, and covered by a due diligence statement.

The seven in-scope commodities are cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soy, and wood. Derived products range from leather and chocolate to furniture, tyres, and printed paper. The cut-off date is 31 December 2020: goods sourced from land deforested or degraded after that date are barred regardless of local legality.

Operators and large traders must collect geolocation coordinates of every plot of land where the commodity was produced, assess risk, and submit due diligence statements through an EU information system. The Commission classifies producing countries as low, standard, or high risk, calibrating the intensity of checks. Penalties include fines of at least 4% of EU turnover, confiscation of goods, and temporary exclusion from public procurement.

Application was originally set for 30 December 2024, but in late 2024 the Council and Parliament agreed a one-year postponement, pushing the main compliance date to 30 December 2025 for large operators and 30 June 2026 for micro- and small enterprises, after lobbying from Germany, Brazil, Indonesia, the United States, and others citing implementation readiness.

The regulation has become a flashpoint in trade and development diplomacy. Producer governments—particularly in the Amazon and Southeast Asia—argue it is extraterritorial and burdensome for smallholders, while NGOs such as Global Witness and Mighty Earth defend it as a benchmark for supply-chain accountability. It is frequently cited alongside the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism as an example of the Brussels effect shaping global production standards.