The Council has reached a provisional agreement with the European Parliament on a proposal for a targeted amendment to the EU Deforestation Regulation, postponing its application date by 12 months. This provisional agreement still needs to be confirmed by both institutions before moving to the formal adoption procedure.
This postponement will allow third countries, Member States, operators and traders to be fully prepared with regard to their due diligence obligations, to ensure that certain raw materials and products sold in the EU or exported from the EU are deforestation-free. This includes products derived from livestock, wood, cocoa, soya, palm oil, coffee, rubber and some of their derived products.
Smooth implementation and legal certainty
The deforestation regulation has already been in force since 29 June 2023 and its provisions will apply from 30 December 2024. The two co-legislators accepted the Commission’s proposal to postpone the date of application of the regulation by one year (30 December 2025).
This would provide legal certainty, predictability and sufficient time for the smooth and effective implementation of the rules, including the full establishment of due diligence systems covering all relevant raw materials and products.
No substantial changes
According to the provisional agreement, the planned amendment will not affect the substance of the existing rules, which aim to minimise the EU’s contribution to deforestation and forest degradation worldwide by allowing only the placing on the EU market or exporting from the EU of non-deforested products.
Next steps
The provisional agreement will now need to be endorsed by the Council and Parliament. It will then be formally adopted by both institutions and published in the Official Journal of the EU, so that it can enter into force before the date of application of the current Regulation (30 December 2024).
Background
The Deforestation Regulation was adopted in 2023 and sets out rules to ensure that products derived from certain raw materials that are marketed in or exported from the EU have not caused deforestation or forest degradation during their production, have been produced in accordance with the relevant legislation of the country of production and are covered by a due diligence declaration.
The Commission presented its proposal on the postponement of the date of application of the Deforestation Regulation in response to concerns raised by Member States, third countries, traders and operators who might not fully comply with the rules by 31 December 2024.
On 16 October 2024, the Council agreed its position on amending the EU Deforestation Regulation, postponing its application date by 12 months. On 20 November 2024, the Council reiterated its support for the proposal for a targeted amendment to the EU Regulation on deforestation.
Information from the European Parliament press release
Other information of interest
- La Eurocámara aplaza y suaviza la ley de deforestación de la UE hasta diciembre de 2025
- El Reglamento europeo sobre productos vinculados a la deforestación podría retrasar su aplicación un año tras las peticiones del sector cárnico y otras industrias
- Anafric presenta alegaciones al Anteproyecto de Ley de Aplicación del Reglamento sobre Comercialización de Productos Asociados a la Deforestación por su afectación al sector vacuno
