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Posted: November 26, 2025
The EU Parliament has voted to delay and simplify the landmark deforestation regulation, pushing implementation back by up to a year and setting the stage for another review before the law even takes effect. The move raises industry concerns over uncertainty and slows efforts to ensure deforestation-free supply chains across key commodities.
The European Parliament has voted to delay and streamline the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), shifting its implementation timeline and calling for an earlier review even before the law officially takes effect. Passing by a vote of 402-250, the decision aligns closely with the EU Council’s position and now forms Parliament’s negotiating mandate. The measure pushes implementation to late 2026 for large companies and mid-2027 for smaller operators, extending the transition for businesses navigating mandatory due diligence and product traceability rules under the EU deforestation regulation.
Originally introduced in 2021, the EUDR aims to block deforestation-linked commodities, such as coffee, soy, beef, cocoa, palm oil, rubber, and timber, from entering or exiting EU markets. The law requires companies to trace products back to their plot of origin and prove they were not produced on land deforested after 2020. Although the Commission initially explored a second delay due to concerns about IT system readiness, it ultimately proposed a six-month enforcement grace period and eased requirements for micro and small operators. Proposed simplifications include reducing repeated data submissions across supply chains and limiting detailed reporting obligations to operators that place goods on the market.
Despite these changes, Parliament and Council have now endorsed an additional one-year delay and asked the Commission to complete a broader simplification review by April 2026, before the new start dates, raising the possibility of further revisions. The move drew strong criticism from center-left groups, who argue the delay stems from cooperation between centrist and far-right parties and risks creating instability for businesses already preparing for compliance. Several major companies have also warned that repeated changes undermine investment certainty and penalize early movers committed to forest-protection goals at a time when clarity around EU deforestation regulation is increasingly critical for supply chain planning.
