EU Proposes Amendments to Deforestation Regulation

The European Commission released its proposed amendments to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) on October 20, 2025. While the EUDR has been a contentious issue in the EU since it was first introduced in 2023, the most recent proposal does not go as far toward deregulation as many supporters had feared.

The proposed amendments include targeted simplifications to ensure a smooth implementation of the EUDR for both EU member states and third countries. The Commission has also attempted to address criticisms that the information and data-management technology systems supporting the regulation are not yet robust or accessible enough for the many small operators that provide product materials along the supply chain.

Downstream operators and traders, such as retailers and large EU manufacturers, will no longer be required to submit due diligence statements. Instead, only one submission to the EUDR IT system will be required for the entire supply chain at the point of entry into the market, with the operator first placing the product on the market being responsible for the reporting.

Micro and small primary operators will only need to submit a single declaration to the IT system, eliminating the need for regular submissions of due diligence statements. If that information is already available, operators do not have to take any action in the IT system.

There will also be a transition period to accommodate the higher-than-anticipated load on the IT system, which is necessary to ensure it can manage the volume of due diligence statements submitted by operators. For micro and small enterprises, the EUDR will enter into application on December 30, 2026. It will apply to large and medium companies on December 30, 2025, but there will be a six-month grace period on checks and enforcement so businesses can adapt to the requirements.