EU moves to simplify EUDR implementation

Brussels – The European Commission has unveiled a set of measures to simplify the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), aiming to cut administrative costs for businesses by 30%.

In a 15 April statement, the EC said it was “providing further simplifications and reducing the administrative burden” in response to feedback from member states, industry and international partners.

The Commission has also published updated guidance and a revised FAQ document to support operators, traders and national authorities and to ensure harmonised implementation of the legislation.

Key changes include allowing large companies to reuse existing due diligence statements when reimporting goods already placed on the EU market, a move that will cut submissions in the IT system.

Companies may also submit due diligence statements annually rather than for each shipment, and members of a company group can now be represented by a single authorised entity.

Downstream firms will benefit from simplified obligations by collecting and using reference numbers from their suppliers’ due diligence statements.

“These simplifications will significantly reduce the number of due diligence statements that companies need to file,” the Commission said.

The Commission has also published a draft ‘delegated act’ for public consultation, offering “further clarifications and simplification on the scope of EUDR,” including product category guidance.

A separate ‘implementing act’ to finalise the country benchmarking system is expected by 30 June.

The Commission said it has already hosted over 300 meetings and 50 webinars on the regulation, with more than 15,500 training places offered.

It also reaffirmed support for partner countries through the €86 million ‘team Europe initiative’ on deforestation-free value chains.

Set to come into force at the end of the year, the EUDR aims to ensure that key goods sold in the EU, including natural rubber, do not contribute to deforestation and forest degradation.

“Even before it enters into application,” the Commission noted, “the regulation has brought more transparency in supply chains, prompted positive changes... and opened new market opportunities for deforestation-free products in the EU.”