Streamlined EUDR Regs Set for December

The European Commission has confirmed that the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will go ahead without delay. Large businesses must comply from December 30, 2025, with a six-month grace period before fines are enforced, while micro and small enterprises follow from 30 December 2026, the Woodland Group reported. Where authorities identify potential non-compliance before these dates, they will issue warnings and recommendations to help operators achieve full compliance.  

EUDR aims to ensure that products placed on the EU market are deforestation-free and legally produced, covering key commodities (and their derivatives) such as beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, natural rubber, soy and wood. Wood derivatives include paper products and packaging, which has printers and publishers paying close attention to EUDR requirements.

In addition to the six-month grace period, the Commission has made updates to the framework that simply processes.

• Simplified Reporting for Small Operators – Micro and small primary operators in low-risk countries will not be required to submit full due diligence statements. Instead, they can complete a one-off simplified declaration confirming compliance.

• New “Downstream Operator” Definition – The proposal introduces a new category of “downstream operators,” referring to companies handling products already made from compliant commodities — such as manufacturers, retailers or distributors. These operators will no longer need to submit due diligence statements but must maintain traceability by passing on the unique identifier from the original declaration and retaining records to confirm product compliance.

• Annual Due Diligence Option – Businesses may now choose to submit annual due diligence statements rather than per shipment, helping to reduce administrative requirements while maintaining the option to report per shipment.

• Information System Improvements – Ongoing system enhancements to the TRACES system aim to ensure the platform can handle the regulation’s complex data requirements effectively.