The European Commission (EC) has decided to postpone the enforcement of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year, in order to address concerns over the readiness of the supporting IT system.
The decision was announced on September 23 by EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall. This marks the second time Brussels has delayed the implementation of the EUDR, which was originally set to take effect on December 30 this year. For the delay to become official, it must be approved by the European Parliament and EU member states.
According to Reuters, the extension has done little to ease criticism from major trading partners such as Brazil, Indonesia, and the United States, who have repeatedly warned that the regulation would increase costs and negatively impact exports to Europe.
Commissioner Roswall stressed that the delay was not due to pressure from the U.S., but rather concerns over potential IT system overload. “We are worried about the enormous volume of data to be processed and the risks that could arise. Additional time is necessary for a thorough assessment,” she said.
The EU’s anti-deforestation law requires exporters of commodities such as soy, beef, palm oil, timber, and rubber to prove their products are not linked to deforestation. The regulation is seen as a key effort to curb roughly 10% of global deforestation attributed to Europe’s imported consumption.
However, opposition has not only come from trading partners. Some EU member states, including Poland and Austria, have admitted that domestic businesses are struggling to meet the traceability requirements.
In a letter to the Chair of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee, EC representatives expressed concern that the IT system could be “so slow as to be unacceptable,” potentially disrupting trade.
The decision to delay the law has been sharply criticized by environmental organizations. “Every day of delay means more forests destroyed, more wildfires, and worsening climate extremes,” warned Nicole Polsterer, a campaigner at the NGO Fern.