Changes to the rules against deforestation

The new rules postpone the effective date of the obligations by one year. Large companies will have to comply fully with the deforestation regulation from the end of 2026, while smaller companies and sole traders will not have to comply until mid-2027. The delay is intended to help companies manage the transition to the new system while allowing time to fine-tune the digital tools through which the obligations will be met.

Parliament has also agreed to simplify administration, especially for small and micro businesses. They will now only have to submit a one-off simplified declaration. Responsibility for so-called "due diligence" will be borne only by the first to place a product on the EU market - not by every other seller in the chain.

Another change is to narrow the scope of the law. Printed products have been exempted from the rules, which is intended to reduce the burden where the risk of deforestation is virtually non-existent. In addition, the European Commission has until April 2026 to assess the impact of the law in practice and whether the administrative requirements are disproportionate for small businesses.

The original 2023 regulation is designed to ensure that products such as coffee, cocoa, soya, palm oil or timber do not enter the European market if they come from deforested areas. Parliament stresses that the amendments adopted do not change the objective of the law itself, but are intended to make it more feasible for companies and inspection authorities.