EUDR Update: Council and Parliament Agree on Targeted Revisions

The Council and Parliament have reached a provisional political agreement on targeted revisions to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This agreement directly addresses industry concerns regarding implementation feasibility and IT system readiness.

What Changed

The agreement establishes 30 December 2026 as the new application date for large and medium operators, with micro and small operators extended to 30 June 2027. This sets a unified timeline for compliance across the market.

Additionally, the co-legislators agreed on measures to simplify the due diligence process and reduce administrative burden:

• Streamlined Responsibility: Due diligence statements are now required exclusively from the operator who first places the product on the EU market. Downstream operators are no longer required to cascade statements; they must only collect and retain the reference number.
• SME Simplification: Micro and small primary operators will submit a one-time simplified declaration and receive a declaration identifier for traceability.
• Scope Adjustment: Printed products (books, newspapers, printed pictures) are removed from the scope of the regulation.
• System Stability: Competent authorities are now required to report IT system disruptions to ensure smooth functioning.

What This Means for Business

This agreement represents a pragmatic policy adjustment based on feedback from member states and operators regarding technical capacity. It is not a lowering of environmental standards, but a realignment of the timeline to ensure the system works effectively.

The Commission is tasked with conducting a simplification review by 30 April 2026 to evaluate the administrative burden, particularly for smaller operators.

For compliance managers, this extension provides the necessary predictability to implement robust data systems rather than temporary solutions. The regulatory goal—full supply chain transparency—remains unchanged and mirrors the requirements seen in the Battery Regulation and Digital Product Passport. This agreement aligns the timeline with operational reality, allowing companies to focus on building sustainable compliance processes.

The provisional agreement awaits formal endorsement and adoption by both institutions before officially replacing the current EUDR text.