Eleven EU States Demand Further Weakening of Deforestation Rules

Eleven EU member states, led by Austria and Luxembourg and including the Czech Republic and Finland, are urging the European Commission to further delay and simplify the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), citing high administrative burdens on farmers and foresters that they deem disproportionate to the regulation's objectives. These countries propose creating a 'no-risk' category to exempt compliant nations from stringent checks, arguing that countries with effective anti-deforestation laws should not face additional regulatory burdens. However, environmental groups like WWF strongly oppose these proposals, warning that introducing a 'no-risk' category undermines the regulation’s goal to combat both deforestation and forest degradation, including threats within EU forests. EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen acknowledges the importance of avoiding unnecessary costs where there is no risk and suggests simplification might be considered in future legislative packages, while Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall emphasizes ongoing efforts to simplify implementation. The regulation, set to take effect in December 2025, requires producers to verify that commodities such as soy, beef, palm oil, and cocoa are not linked to deforestation, with penalties for non-compliance. This policy aims to address the 10% of global deforestation driven by EU consumption but faces significant political resistance from member states and trading partners.