The Council has adopted its negotiating mandate for a targeted revision of the EU Deforestation-Free Products Regulation (EUDR), paving the way for formal talks with the European Parliament. The move aims to streamline implementation and delay application deadlines amid mounting concerns over industry readiness and technical bottlenecks.
Member states raised issues around companies’ preparedness and the rollout of the EU’s new information system, prompting the Council to back the European Commission’s proposal to simplify due-diligence requirements. The Council position also introduces a uniform one-year postponement for all operators, shifting the application of the regulation to 30 December 2026, with a further six-month extension for micro and small operators.
In contrast to the Commission’s earlier proposal, the Council has scrapped the ‘grace period’ for medium and large companies, opting instead for a clear, universal extension. The negotiating mandate supports additional simplification measures intended to reduce administrative pressure without undermining the regulation’s environmental objectives.
Under the updated mandate:
- Medium and large operators would comply from 30 December 2026, while micro and small operators would do so from 30 June 2027.
- Only operators placing products on the EU market for the first time would be responsible for submitting due-diligence statements.
- Downstream operators and traders would be exempt from filing separate statements; instead, the initial reference number must be retained and passed along the supply chain.
- Micro and small primary operators would submit a one-off simplified declaration.
The Council has also asked the European Commission to conduct a simplification review by 30 April 2026, assessing administrative burdens—especially for small and micro businesses—and to table legislative adjustments if necessary.
Negotiations with the European Parliament are expected to begin shortly, with both institutions aiming to reach an agreement before the current EUDR becomes applicable on 30 December 2025.
The EUDR entered into force in June 2023 to ensure that commodities including cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya and wood—and related products—placed on or exported from the EU market do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation. Key provisions were originally set to apply from December 2024 but were postponed by one year due to concerns from member states, trading partners and industry.
The Commission proposed further amendments in October 2025 to address persistent implementation challenges, particularly around the information system and administrative demands on smaller operators.
