EUDR Delay: It is Official

The European Parliament and the Council have reached a provisional political agreement 04.12.2025 to delay the application of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and introduce targeted simplifications to make implementation more practical for operators and authorities. The delay gives businesses more time to prepare while maintaining the regulation’s core objective: ensuring that products entering or leaving the EU are deforestation free and legally produced.

A clearer path forward after months of uncertainty

Concerns from member states, companies, and supply chain partners regarding readiness and system capacity prompted lawmakers to revise the original timeline. Instead of the previously discussed “grace period,” the co-legislators opted for a full postponement to provide clarity and reduce operational pressure. The decision focuses on simplification rather than redesign, giving operators a more stable framework to work with.

New enforcement dates

The updated timeline is:

• 30 December 2026 – EUDR applies to all operators
• 30 June 2027 – additional six months for micro and small operators

This extension provides companies with more time to adapt due diligence procedures, build internal workflows, and coordinate with suppliers ahead of mandatory compliance.

Simplified due diligence responsibilities

A major procedural change shifts responsibility for submitting the due diligence statement exclusively to the operator who first places the product on the EU market.

Downstream operators will no longer need to repeatedly pass reference numbers through the chain. Instead, only the first downstream operator must retain the DDS reference number. This reduces duplicated work, simplifies documentation flows, and lowers administrative burden across complex supply chains.

One time simplified declaration for small operators

Micro and small primary operators will submit a single simplified declaration and receive a unique identifier, which is sufficient for traceability. This removes repetitive reporting steps and supports smaller companies with limited administrative capacity.

Simplified Scope: Books, Newspapers and Printed Pictures Removed from EUDR

As part of efforts to ease compliance, lawmakers agreed to remove certain low risk printed products from the regulation’s scope. Books, newspapers, and printed pictures will no longer fall under EUDR requirements, reflecting their minimal deforestation risk and allowing authorities to focus on higher impact product categories.

Continued collaboration on implementation

Both institutions underscored the importance of close cooperation with experts, stakeholders, and operators through the Commission’s existing multi stakeholder platform. Competent authorities will also be required to report significant IT system disruptions to ensure smooth functioning of the EU’s future information system.

Additionally, the European Commission must conduct a simplification review by 30 April 2026, assessing administrative burdens—particularly for smaller operators—and proposing solutions, including potential legislative updates.

What happens next?

The provisional agreement must now be formally endorsed and adopted by both the Council and the European Parliament. Once approved, it will replace the current EUDR framework and confirm the new compliance timeline.

EUDR delay conclusion

With this agreement, the EUDR is officially delayed, providing much needed time and clarity for operators. However, the regulation’s environmental objectives remain firmly in place. Companies should use the extended preparation window to organise supplier data, establish due diligence processes, and prepare for the upcoming information system requirements.