Following our last newsletter on the possible postponement of the EUDR, concrete decisions have now been made in Strasbourg: Today, the European Parliament approved a series of simplifications and an extension of the implementation deadlines. The aim is to give companies more time and more practical conditions for implementing the Deforestation Regulation.
The amended text was adopted by 402 votes to 250, with 8 abstentions. What is striking from a German perspective is that the SPD in the European Parliament voted against a compromise that it supports in the German government.
What has been decided?
1. More time for companies
MEPs are in favour of a one-year postponement of the implementation deadlines:
- Large companies: implementation from 30 December 2026
- Small and micro-enterprises: implementation from 30 June 2027
This additional period is intended to ensure three key points:
- an orderly transition,
- the further development of the IT system for electronic due diligence declarations,
- a reduction in short-term burdens on companies.
Parliament has thus essentially confirmed the postponement that we reported on in our last newsletter.
2. Simplified due diligence obligations
Small and medium-sized market participants in particular are to receive significant relief:
- In future, responsibility for due diligence declarations will lie with the companies that first place a product on the EU market.
- Small and micro primary producers will only have to submit a one-time simplified declaration.
In addition, Parliament is calling for a review of these measures by 30 April 2026 at the latest to assess their effectiveness and impact on administrative burdens.
What happens next?
Parliament is ready to enter into negotiations with Member States. The final version of the law must be approved by Parliament and the Council and published in the EU Official Journal before the end of 2025 for the deferral to formally enter into force.
Our assessment
The decisions confirm our previous assessment: the EUDR remains complex for small and medium-sized enterprises, but the extended deadlines and simplifications create much-needed planning security. At the same time, it shows how dynamic developments are at present.
„Our recommendation: take no action at present. The political climate is changing, and further adjustments cannot be ruled out. We are monitoring developments closely and will provide information as soon as concrete steps become necessary.“
Martin Fix
CEO ARCA Group
