Oct 22, 2025 (MarketLine via COMTEX) --
Corporations above aEURoemicro and small enterprisesaEUR would be given a six-month grace period from December.
The EU is now proposing not to delay the implementation of its deforestation programme for aEURoelarge and mediumaEUR companies beyond the end of this year.
A proposal emerged in September that rules for the so-called EUDR initiative to cut deforestation through the cocoa, coffee and palm oil supply chains were to be pushed back to December next year due to capacity failings of the IT registration system.
They were due to come into force in December 2025 under a new timetable following a 12-month postponement initiated last December.
In what now amounts to a U-turn, the European Commission, the legislative arm of the EU, has today (22 October) proposed keeping the 30 December 2025 deadline in place for large and medium enterprises. However, they would be given a six-month grace period aEURoeto ensure a gradual phase-in of the rulesaEUR.
The phasing period would allow those companies time for aEURoechecks and enforcementaEUR, the Commission said in a statement in what it deems as aEURoetransitional periods to guarantee a smooth transition and [to] strengthen the IT systemaEUR.
For aEURoemicro and small enterprisesaEUR, the EUDR rules would still be implemented in December next year.
The ECaEUR(TM)s proposals will now go before the European Parliament and the European Council for consideration, and aEURoethey would need to formally adopt the targeted amendment of the EU Deforestation Regulation before it can come into effectaEUR, the Commission said.
It called on those two institutions to aEURoeswiftly adopt the proposal for an extended implementation period by the end of year 2025aEUR.
A Commission spokesperson told Just Food in September that the IT registration system had proved unable to cope with the sheer number of transactions for companies to register transactions in the commodities concerned.
Today, the EC explained it had been deploying the IT system in aEURoeclose cooperation with stakeholdersaEUR since its launch in December 2024.
It added: aEURoeIn the context of this dialogue, new projections on the number of expected operations and interactions between economic operators and the IT system have led to a substantial reassessment of the projected load on the IT system - being much higher than anticipated.
aEURoeThe system must be capable of handling all due diligence statements for products covered by the law and submitted by all operators.aEUR
The Commission continued: aEURoeThe new entry into application dates, combined with the simplification of obligations for supply chain actors, aims to ensure that the IT system can sustain the level of expected loads.aEUR
Following feedback from operators, the EC is proposing simplifications for aEURoeoperators and tradersaEUR such as retailers or aEURoelargeaEUR EU manufacturers that aEURoecommercialiseaEUR EUDR products.
aEURoeThese companies are in the downstream part of the relevant value chains - the upstream operator will continue to exercise due diligence,aEUR the Commission explained.
Similarly, for aEURoemicro and small primary operators from low-risk countries worldwide who sell their goods directly on the European market - these cover close to 100% of farmers and foresters in the EUaEUR, it added.
It is now proposed that downstream operators and traders should not have to submit due diligence statements of their commodity operations, the EC said, noting that only one entry would need to be submitted on the system at the point of EU entry for the aEURoeentire supply chainaEUR.
The EC explained that the aEURoereporting obligations and the responsibility would be focused on the operators placing first the products on the marketaEUR and the amendment would replace the need for aEURoeregular submissions of due diligence statementsaEUR.
In July, Cadbury owner Mondelez International had called for a further delay to the rules, arguing they had to be aEURoeworkableaEUR in practice.
However, a letter co-signed by rival chocolate makers NestlA(C) and Ferrero urged the Commission to ensure aEURoethe full preservation and swift, ambitious implementationaEUR of EUDR.
Just Food has contacted those companies for comment today and has also reached out to the WWF for its thoughts on the new EUDR proposals.
http://www.datamonitor.com
Republication or redistribution, including by framing or similar means,
is expressly prohibited without prior written consent. Datamonitor shall
not be liable for errors or delays in the content, or for any actions
taken in reliance thereon
COMTEX_469719597/2227/2025-10-22T18:03:16
Copyright (C) 2025 Datamonitor. All rights reserved
