The EU Regulation on Deforestation-free products (Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, abbreviated EUDR) is a European Union regulation on deforestation. The goal of the EUDR is to guarantee that the products European Union (EU) citizens consume do not contribute to deforestation or forest degradation worldwide.[1]
| European Union regulation | |
| Text with EEA relevance | |
 | |
| Title | Regulation on the making available on the Union market and the export from the Union of certain commodities and products associated with deforestation and forest degradation and repealing Regulation (EU) No 995/2010 |
|---|---|
| Made by | European Parliament and Council of the European Union |
| Journal reference | L150, 9 June 2023, p. 206–247 |
| History | |
| Date made | 31 May 2023 |
| Implementation date | 30 December 2024 |
| Other legislation | |
| Replaces | Timber Regulation 2010 |
| Current legislation | |
The EUDR is a part of a bigger set of EU policies aimed at fighting climate change and biodiversity reduction, as codified in the European Green Deal. It supersedes the Timber Regulation 2010.[1][2] It was formally adopted in May 2023 and applies to products placed on the market from 30 December 2024 by medium or big businesses and from 30 June 2025 by small businesses.[3]
The regulation applies to operators who either place on the EU market or export from it, a specific set of commodities or products: palm oil, cattle, soy, coffee, cocoa, timber and rubber, as well as derived products such as beef, furniture, and chocolate.[4] Businesses must carry out due diligence to ensure the products do not come from land that was deforested after 31 December 2020.[4] This includes collecting the geographic coordinates of the plots of land where the commodities were produced.[5] Commodity production must also comply with the laws in the country where they were produced.[4] Operators who can not provide the required information must refrain from placing their products on the EU market. Those who do anyway face fines, potentially up to 4% of their EU turnover.[5][6]
Reception of the regulation has been mixed. The Economist listed it as one of their top 5 sustainability wins for 2023,[6] The New York Times reported it being hailed as "gold standard in climate policy".[7] and Greenpeace called it the EU's "big first step" to end its complicity in the "reckless destruction" of forests.[8] Various exporting countries have protested and warned the EU of severe economic impacts.[2] In the coffee sector, by December 2023 traders were reported to have already started to shift activities away from African countries where many of the world's smallholder farmers reside.[9][10]
References
edit- ^ a b "Regulation on Deforestation-free products". European Union. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ a b "EU delays stricter rules on imports from deforested areas". Financial Times. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ "Statement: Landmark European Union Deforestation Regulation is Formally Adopted, Will Enter into Force". World Resources Institute. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ a b c "Deforestation Regulation implementation". European Union. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Due Diligence". European Union. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ a b "Top 5 sustainability wins in 2023". The Economist. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ Cohen, Patricia. "Can Europe Save Forests Without Killing Jobs in Malaysia?". The New York Times. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ "EU to adopt new deforestation law". Greenpeace. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ Angel, Maytaal; Kurniawati, Dewi (19 December 2023). "Coffee firms turning away from Africa as EU deforestation law looms". Reuters. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
- ^ Ghaedi, Monir (28 January 2024). "EU deforestation law means uncertainty for African coffee". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 24 July 2024.