The European Parliament has made a significant decision regarding the EU Deforestation Regulation, voting to amend and delay its implementation, originally scheduled for the end of this year. The amended regulation stipulates that companies wishing to sell products in the EU must provide a “due diligence” statement confirming that their products are not sourced from deforested areas or have contributed to forest degradation. This regulation covers a wide array of products, including beef, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood. The primary aim of this regulation is to reduce the EU’s impact on global deforestation, forest degradation, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity loss.
Initially passed by the EU institutions in 2023, the regulation was slated to be enforced on December 30, 2024, for large enterprises, with a six-month delay for small and micro-enterprises. However, in October, the European Commission proposed pushing back these deadlines by a year, setting the new dates for the end of 2025 for large companies and mid-2026 for smaller enterprises. The commission cited the need for additional time to ensure the proper and effective implementation of the regulation as the reason for the postponement.
The European Parliament has now supported the commission’s stance and has also endorsed eight amendments to the text, pending approval from the EU Council. These amendments aim to provide operators worldwide with more time to smoothly implement the rules without compromising the law’s objectives. One notable change proposed by the parliament is the introduction of a new category of countries labeled as “no risk” in terms of deforestation, alongside the existing categories of “low”, “standard”, and “high” risk. Countries falling under the “no risk” classification, characterized by stable or increasing forest area development, will face less stringent requirements due to the minimal risk of deforestation.
Francie Gorman, the president of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA), emphasized the importance of MEPs endorsing the simplification of the regulation. While acknowledging the logic behind the regulation’s objective, Gorman highlighted the potential burden and bureaucratic challenges farmers might face during its implementation at the farm level. He expressed optimism that the approved amendments would lead to a more streamlined application of the regulation in Irish farms. Gorman welcomed the introduction of the “Zero Risk” category, believing it would simplify the regulatory requirements for farmers.
However, environmental groups have raised concerns over the delay in enforcing the regulation and what they perceive as a “watering down” of its provisions. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) criticized the introduction of the “no risk” country category, accusing the European People’s Party (EPP) and its allies of enabling further forest destruction both within and outside Europe. Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove, forests policy manager at WWF European Policy Office, described this move as a betrayal of commitments to citizens, businesses, forests, and climate. The WWF is urging EU Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen to withdraw the proposal to delay the regulation’s implementation and safeguard her Green Deal legacy.
