IT’S TIME TO ENFORCE THE EU DEFORESTATION LAW
Joint statement by 74 organisations
We, the undersigned civil society organisations, express our deep concern over ongoing attempts to further weaken the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The Commission’s proposal of 21 October introduces far reaching changes to the EUDR and significantly rolls back the obligations on EU operators and traders. Seemingly ignoring that said proposal already provides companies with a high level of flexibility, and alleviates pressure on companies through exemptions, delays, and simplified procedures, some politicians and businesses are calling for further changes that would undermine the impact of the EU’s most consequential law to combat deforestation.
By doing so, they also risk creating sunk costs for businesses and EU Member States who have spent millions to be EUDR-ready, and ultimately undermine confidence in the EU as a predictable investment environment. A year of EUDR implementation has already been lost due to prolonged political negotiations, fostering uncertainty across supply chains, as companies await clear and consistent guidance.
Critically, calls from stakeholders to introduce either a “stop the clock” mechanism or a “zero-risk” country category, which would indefinitely delay the EUDR or further lessen its ambitions, defeat the very purpose of a regulation that took years of careful negotiation to design. At this crucial juncture, EU policymakers must act decisively and move forward with implementation.
With just days remaining before the COP30 climate summit in Belém, Brazil - the gateway to the Amazon rainforest - attempts to weaken the core of the EUDR put the EU’s environmental leadership to the test. This comes at a time when forests worldwide are nearing dangerous tipping points, with the Amazon, having already lost 17% of its forested area, at most imminent risk. By fully implementing the EUDR, Europe has the opportunity to lead by example and demonstrate its commitment to protecting forests, the communities that depend on them and the future of the next generations.
We urge the European Parliament and Member States to ensure the timely implementation of the EUDR on 30 December 2025, as intended, and refrain from weakening the legislative text further, given the changes proposed by the European Commission are already significant.
Every delay puts forests, communities, climate goals, and the EU’s credibility at greater risk. The message is simple: apply the law now.
Download the PDF statement including a list of signatories on the right.
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