We, the undersigned organisations, express our deep concern regarding the proposals for ‘simplification’ of the EU Deforestation Regulation presented by the Ministers for Agriculture of Luxembourg and Austria at the meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 26th May 2025.
These new proposals came less than six months after EU Member States and the European Parliament had agreed to postpone the application of the EUDR by 12 months and to keep the legal text unchanged. On a backdrop of record-breaking tropical deforestation rates in 2024, the EUDR is the best tool at the EU’s disposal to contribute to halting deforestation, with benefits for the climate, Indigenous Peoples, local communities, sustainable businesses and local producers and consumers. We therefore urge you to respect agreements and fully support the timely and full application of the EUDR.
Introducing exemptions via a ‘zero’ or ‘insignificant’ risk category undermines the fundamentals of the EUDR, is not compatible with WTO rules and conceals risks of illegalities and forest degradation within the EU. All EU Member States are already classified as ‘low risk’ in the country benchmarking, significantly reducing due diligence obligations for operators and traders whose commodities are made in the EU. The remaining minimum information requirements for all in-scope products are necessary to establish their actual origin and to ensure the integrity of their supply chains: a safeguard against non-compliant products being mixed with sustainable ones. The requirements give clarity to companies and to competent authorities, many of which have already started their preparations to implement the law.
Further attempts to delay the application of the regulation or to undermine its well thought through architecture will damage the credibility of the EU and frustrate the efforts of companies and third countries that have invested in reaching compliance. A sound policy decision would be to offer more support for farmers, forest owners, and SMEs with implementation and compliance. This is a responsibility of Member States, as stipulated in the legal text (Art. 15). For SME operators, the law offers a sufficiently long deadline to get the right support in place.
We call on all EU institutions and Member States to stand by the commitments made, to uphold the integrity of the EUDR, and to focus on enabling implementation — not dismantling a regulation that is essential for forests, climate action, and global credibility.
Download a pdf of the letter including a list of signatories on the right.
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