Commission rules out re-opening EUDR but drops leather from goods covered by it

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Brussels, May 5, 2026 – The European Commission has resisted industry and political pressure and opted not to reopen the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

On May 4, 2026, the Commission published its report on options to simplify the EUDR: the so-called ‘simplification package’ agreed by EU lawmakers last December. The Commission made it clear that the focus must now shift to implementing the law. The EUDR has been relentlessly targeted by its opponents for the past two years, and has already been delayed twice.

However, the Commission also risked weakening the law by proposing changing the scope of products that companies are required to prove did not cause deforestation – excluding leather, hides and skins from the law.

In response, Nicole Polsterer, Fern’s Sustainability and Consumption campaigner, said:

“By deciding not to re-open the EUDR, the Commission recognises that the merry-go-round must end, and that companies who have diligently prepared for the law need to be certain it will be implemented.

Nonetheless, it’s deeply disappointing that the Commission has bowed to heavy industry lobbying and proposed to remove leather from the products which fall under the scope of the law. This flies in the face of irrefutable evidence - including the Commission’s own assessment - that clearing land for cattle ranching is a major driver of global deforestation. Removing a product so clearly linked to one of the primary causes of deforestation is absurd. It’s not too late for the Commission to remedy this error.”

Fern and other NGOs have called on the Commission to keep leather within the EUDR’s scope.
See our joint letter here.

Polsterer added: “More positively, the updated Frequently asked Question and Guidance is an important step towards fully implementing the law at the end of December 2026. Companies have continuously called for clarity. They should now be able to complete their traceability, procurement and due diligence plans.”

Key points arising from the review include:

The date of application will still be December 2026 for all companies except most micro- or small operators, for whom it remains 30 June 2027. For micro- or small operators already covered by the EU Timber Regulation (EUTR), the entry into application is 30 December 2026.
The Commission’s updated Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions includes, for instance, how forest associations can submit information on behalf of individual forest owners. This should alleviate concerns raised by European forest owners, in particular.
The Commission provides further practical guidance on the obligations of companies placing goods on the EU market, including identifying their position in the supply chain. It also confirms that their role is limited to collecting and retaining relevant information.
The documents reiterate that collecting information on goods’ legality should be proportionate to the level of the risk posed to forests, with more detailed evidence required only in higher-risk supply chains.
To help companies comply with the EUDR’s legality and compliance requirements, the Commission will set up a website where third countries can upload relevant national legislations under the EUDR.
Civil society is willing to play its role in helping companies accurately assess whether their goods are associated with deforestation or human rights abuses. See, for instance, this new Platform by several NGOs.
The Commission also outlines further Information System developments, including simplified declarations.

The Commission’s proposal to remove and include certain products from the scope is open for feedback until June 1 (see here).

Links to Commission documents:

Updated FAQs and Guidance documents;
A draft Delegated Act on the product scope, open for a four-week public feedback period, accompanied by a Staff Working Document with the methodology underpinning the proposed changes;
A Report to the European Parliament and the Council summarising the above.

Categorias: News, Press Releases, EU Regulation on deforestation-free products