What is the EU Regulation on deforestation-free products?

The European Union (EU) Regulation on deforestation-free products (EUDR) - to be adopted spring 2023 - prohibits companies from putting products on the EU market unless they are deforestation-free and legally produced. It will also be illegal to export such products from the EU.

The EUDR applies to wood, palm oil, soy, coffee, cocoa, rubber and beef as well as most of the products derived from these commodities like hides, leather, chocolate, charcoal and (printed) paper. The EUDR will enter into application twenty days after the publication in the Official Journal of the EU – which is expected around May 2023. After that large companies will have 18 months to prepare themselves before the prohibition becomes active (small companies will have 24 months).

This briefing note explains what the EU Deforestation Regulation means and why we should care.

Category: Briefing Notes