NGOs have expressed dismay that European Commissioners are considering a proposal to delay introduction of the EUDR a further year due to issues with its administrative IT system. But sectors affected are acknowledging that businesses need more time to adapt to its requirements. The postponement is also backed by some MEPs.
The news that discussions on another year’s delay were underway, following the 12 months’ deferment from December 2024, was broken by news platform Euractiv. It had obtained a letter from EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall to the European Parliament Environment Committee chair, Antonio Decaro and the Danish Presidency.
In it she said there were concerns over the functioning of the IT platform managing compliance data, which could create “uncertainty for authorities and operational difficulties for stakeholders”. The key issue was its ability to handle the projected volume of interactions from economic operators.
“In view of this, the Commission is considering a postponement of the entry into application of the EUDR, currently foreseen for 30 December 2025, for one year,” she added.
She said in its present state of development, the anticipated number of operations would place an excessive load on the IT system, potentially leading to slowdowns “to unacceptable levels or even to repeated and long-lasting disruptions”. This could prevent companies from registering as economic operators, submitting Due Diligence Statements or accessing key information, all key for demonstrating EUDR compliance. This could also disrupt trade flows in commodities covered by the regulation.
At the recent Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels, Commissioner Roswall confirmed she would be discussing the EUDR with EU Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers.
She has emphasized that the proposed delay is not related to the recent EU trade agreement with the United States (in which the EUDR was referenced) or to discussions with third countries such as Malaysia, Japan, or the conclusion of trade negotiations with Indonesia. She clarified that the proposal is based solely on technical concerns, aimed at reducing the risk of operational failure due to current system limitations.
But she also said that, while the Commission’s current focus is on a one-year delay, additional simplifications or adjustments to the regulation may also be discussed. She added, however, that it is still too early to confirm whether changes, such as the possible introduction of a deforestation “zero-risk” category, could be considered in the proposal.
The Sustainability in Business ESG and sustainability law blog says that, while no formal proposal has been tabled, the potential new EUDR delay could mirror the initial deferral granted last year.
However, it cautions ‘until a new proposal is officially tabled and adopted, companies should continue preparing for compliance as originally scheduled’ – that is 30 December 2025 for large in-scope companies and 30 June 2026 for small and micro enterprises. “Stakeholders are advised to stay informed and ready to adapt, not only to a potential change in timeline but also to possible amendments in how the EUDR will be implemented,” it stated.
Nicole Polsterer, campaigner at forests and rights NGO, Fern said: “It almost defies belief that yet again European governments and companies have missed the boat and are not ready to comply with a law which was passed with an overwhelming mandate in 2023. Today’s decision is an affront to all those who have worked hard to implement traceability systems and taken measures to ensure smallholders can comply with the regulation. Regardless of any IT faults, over the past 12 months, we’ve witnessed a relentless attempt to derail the EUDR.”
Michael Rice of international environmental law firm Client Earth said. “This law could finally address the EU’s role in global deforestation and help protect the world’s remaining forests and the Indigenous communities defending them. We cannot hit pause on the climate crisis. Delaying this law actively prevents action, threatening Indigenous Peoples’ livelihoods and letting down millions of European citizens.”
But German MEP and EPP Group member Christine Schneider welcomed a further delay. “I have advocated a practical implementation of the Deforestation Regulation. However, the renewed postponement clearly shows the problems run deeper and cannot be solved by further transitional periods or non-binding guidelines,” she said. She added she would again propose the creation of a zero-risk category under the EUDR deforestation risk benchmarking system. This could exempt some countries – including EU member states – from regulation obligations.
The European Compound Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC), also welcomed the proposed delay, citing insufficient availability of EUDR-compliant soy to meet the EU’s annual demand of over 30 million tonnes.
FEFAC also urged the inclusion of the EUDR in the EU’s Omnibus [regulatory] simplification package to reduce administrative burdens and safeguard essential soy supplies for the EU livestock feed sector.
