EU Council Backs Deforestation Regulation Amendment for Legal Clarity

The European Council supports delaying the EU Deforestation Regulation by a year to ensure legal certainty for stakeholders. This allows time for comprehensive due diligence by third countries, EU member states, and traders to ensure goods, including commodities like cocoa and palm oil, are deforestation-free.

The European Council in Brussels has announced its backing for a proposed amendment to the European Union Deforestation Regulation, aimed at pushing back its enforcement date by 12 months. This decision is intended to ensure legal certainty for all stakeholders involved.

The legislative proposal from the European Commission must be adopted, signed, and published in the Official Journal by December 30, 2024. The postponement is designed to give third countries, EU member states, operators, and traders sufficient time to fully prepare for due diligence obligations.

These obligations require verification that certain goods and products, including those derived from cattle, timber, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, and rubber, sold within or exported from the EU, are free from deforestation. The regulation originally came into effect on June 29, 2023, with its enforcement set to begin on December 30, 2024.

(With inputs from agencies.)