Deforestation, or deforestation.

EUDR stands for EU Deforestation Regulation, or the European Deforestation Regulation 2023/1115. It is the law that combats climate change through the disappearance and damage of forests caused by European consumption and production.

Products coming from areas deforested after Dec. 30, 2020, may not be placed on the European market or exported.

The law states that from Dec. 30, 2024, companies must be able to prove that their product has not harmed forests. However, this has been delayed.

What is the status of the EUDR? When does the EUDR apply?

Recently, the European Union decided to delay the entry into force of the EUDR by one year. This means that large companies must demonstrate compliance by Dec. 30, 2025. SMEs will have to comply as of June 30, 2026.

This postponement gives companies additional opportunity to adjust their business processes and, in consultation with their suppliers, ensure that all required documents are available for possible inspection by the NVWA.

Given the complexity of the legislation, Précon advises companies to start working on this in a timely manner!

The EUDR applies when your company trades in the following 7 commodities: beef, palm oil, soy, cocoa, coffee, rubber, wood. It also applies to derived products, such as leather, chocolate and furniture.

The full list of raw materials, derived products and associated HS codes can be found in Annex 1 of Regulation 2023/1115.

Companies whose products (livestock, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, wood, rubber, charcoal or paper) fall under the EUDR must meet at least two key requirements:

• demonstrate that their products are "deforestation-free.
• demonstrate that the products have been produced in line with the legislation of the country of origin.

To prove this, there are several additional requirements and a lot of data must be submitted as underlying evidence. In large part, companies will also have to request these from their suppliers.

No, it is not sufficient. Certification can be supportive, because thanks to such certification, much more is already known about the origin of products and their legality. Also, the information on procurement documents, for example, is often already better regulated. Nevertheless, there are still additional requirements under the EUDR, such as the submission of a geolocation and a due diligence statement.

By issuing a due diligence statement, a company indicates that it has done all due diligence to ensure that its products are "deforestation-free" and not illegal. This due diligence means:

• That a company has gathered information regarding the product,
• That this information has been assessed for risks of illegality or deforestation and
• that measures have been taken to minimize risks prior to marketing.

There is a standard text for the due diligence statement. The intention is to upload these statements into a European Union system. At the moment, however, this is not yet possible. Précon will keep an eye on the news coverage!