The European Union’s deforestation law, originally adopted in 2023 to ensure that products sold in the EU are not sourced from deforested land, will see its implementation postponed by one year and some of its requirements simplified.
Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council reached a provisional agreement on Thursday evening to delay the application of the regulation for all businesses. Under this deal, large operators and traders must comply with the new rules starting 30 December 2026, while small operators—including private individuals and micro- or small enterprises—will have until 30 June 2027. The extension aims to allow a smoother transition period and provide time for improvements to the IT system used for electronic due diligence statements.
To further facilitate implementation, Parliament included a requirement for competent authorities to share information about significant technical errors or disruptions within the information system.
The agreement also modifies due diligence obligations. Businesses that first place relevant products on the EU market will now be responsible for submitting due diligence statements, rather than those who later commercialize these goods. Micro and small primary operators will only need to submit a single simplified declaration.
Additionally, by 30 April 2026, the European Commission is required to present a report assessing both the impact of the law and its administrative burden, particularly on micro and small businesses.
Printed products have been excluded from the regulation’s scope following Parliament’s request.
After negotiations concluded, Christine Schneider (EPP, DE), Parliament’s rapporteur on this file said: “The heart of the EU deforestation regulation remains intact. We are protecting forests that face a real risk of deforestation, while avoiding unnecessary obligations in areas where no such risk exists. This agreement takes the concerns of farmers, foresters and businesses seriously and ensures that the regulation can be implemented in a practical and workable way.”
The next step involves a vote in Parliament during its plenary session scheduled between 15-18 December 2025. Both Parliament and Council must endorse the text before it is published in the EU Official Journal by year-end; otherwise current deadlines will remain in effect.
The law was adopted by Parliament on 19 April 2023 as part of efforts to address climate change and biodiversity loss by limiting deforestation tied to EU consumption of commodities like cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soya, wood, rubber, and cattle products. According to estimates from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, around 420 million hectares of forest were lost globally between 1990 and 2020—an area larger than that covered by all EU member states combined. It is estimated that EU consumption accounts for approximately ten percent of global deforestation; palm oil and soya represent more than two-thirds of this total.
