02/27/2024
The European Regulation Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will come into effect on December 30, 2024. Companies have less than a year to ensure compliance. For micro-enterprises and small businesses, the deadline is set six months later, on June 25, 2025.
The serious steps began in April 2023 when the European Parliament adopted this regulation with a broad majority (552 votes in favor, 44 against, and 43 abstentions). It was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (EU) in June 2023.
To learn more, check out:
This regulation has three fundamental objectives:
EUDR also has three specific objectives:
For a more detailed list of all these derivative products, you can refer to page 38 of the regulation (downloadable in all EU languages).
Companies will need to prove that the production of these products complies with the law of the country where it took place. They must also demonstrate that this production has not caused deforestation or forest degradation since December 31, 2020, the reference date, known as the "cut-off" date. It corresponds to existing international commitments:
As EUDR is a regulation, it must be uniformly adopted by all EU member states, unlike a directive, which requires transposition into national law.
Periodic reviews of the text will take place, presumably after 1 year, 2 years, and then 5 years, to include other wooded lands and biodiversity-rich systems such as peatlands, potentially integrate the financial sector, corn, and palm oil biofuels into its scope.
After the implementation of EUDR, only products that meet the following conditions can be imported into the European Union or exported from the European Union:
Every two months until December 30, 2024, around sixty stakeholders, including EU member states, gather in a dedicated deforestation platform, representing all sectors.
Under the presidency of the European Commission, they assess progress in the implementation of the text and respond to questions. Applications for all sectors could be submitted before September 2023.
If your organization is concerned with the implementation of ERDFD, you can contact your sector representative, who will relay your questions and suggestions to the Commission. Also note that the European Commission has published a detailed FAQ, last updated in December 2023.
In addition to this platform, an informal working group brings together representatives from EU member states. Their work contributes to the previously mentioned FAQ and future guidance documents.
Two working groups have also been formed, bringing together experts selected by the Commission from among the members of the platform:
The results of their work will be shared on the platform.
Various tools are planned:
As part of the aforementioned preparatory work, a European Forest Observatory is being created in compliance with EUDR. This observatory includes several components, including:
The first maps from the European Forest Observatory are available since December 2023.
In conclusion, note the upcoming deadlines at the end of 2024: the publication of the assessment of countries and regions at risk. It should be emphasized that no country or area is currently in this category. At the national level in France, a competent authority was designated at the end of 2023, and work is underway to align its responsibilities with the relevant state services.
The first checks will start in 2025, and all companies must be ready. EVEA's Social Footprints team is here to inform and support you in your projects related to this regulation. This includes analyzing your supply chain or chains, identifying risks related to deforestation and non-compliance with national environmental and social legislation, whether through a social life cycle analysis or other methods. ■
Pauline Roignant, Watch Manager at EVEA
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(1) The production date corresponds to the harvest date. For animals, it corresponds to the animal's lifespan, including slaughter (this information must be known and transparent for all breeding locations).
(2) Data must be kept for 5 years.
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