EU Deforestation Regulation date marks “start gun” for companies and export countries
The much anticipated EU regulation targeting forest-risk commodities will come into force on 29 June 2023.
09.06.2023: Following months of negotiations, the EU today published its Deforestation Regulation in the Official Journal of the EU:
This marks the culmination of many years of work by the European Commission to minimise its impact as a consumer of forest-risk commodities. It also marks the start for companies in Europe - and their supply chains – to comply with the regulation.
“The publishing of the regulation in the Official Journal of the EU marks the start gun for companies in Europe - and their supply chains – to begin their preparations to comply with regulation,” said David Hadley, Regulatory Impact Programme Director for Preferred by Nature.
The regulation enters into force on 29 June 2023 and will become applicable to most companies on 30 December 2024.
A provision for long-established small or micro-enterprises permits a later date of 30 June 2025. This, however, only applies to wood products covered by the EU Timber Regulation.
“We understand that some aspects of the implementation of the regulation will be challenging for different stakeholders. Preferred by Nature will be working hard to ensure as many people as possible are well informed about all aspects of the regulation, providing guidance, tools and solutions that are effective and which promote positive outcomes,” said David Hadley.
Covering seven forest-risk commodities, including soy, palm oil, rubber, cattle, cocoa, coffee and timber, the regulation forms part of the European Green Deal initiative and aims to ensure that EU consumption does not contribute to global deforestation and forest degradation arising from agricultural expansion linked to the relevant commodities.
The EU Deforestation Regulation
(EU) 2023/1115 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 31 May 2023 on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010.
A provision for small or micro-enterprises (established as such before 31 December 2020) were established as micro-undertakings or small undertakings, permits a later date of 30 June 2025. But this only applies to wood products covered by the EU Timber Regulation (EU) No 995/2010.
Upcoming EUDR event
Join the Preferred by Nature event “Rising to the challenge - get ready for the EU Deforestation Regulation” on 14 June in Berlin.
Learn more here
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