EUDR: the EU's move to limit global deforestation

Do you import or work with cattle, cocoa, coffee, rubber, palm oil, soy, timber or products containing these materials that may come from outside the European Union?

If so, from 30 December onwards, Regulation (EU) 2023/1115, known as the EUDR (EU Deforestation Regulation), may apply to you.

The purpose of this regulation is to:

Regulate the marketing, import and export of certain raw materials and derived products.
Prevent products associated with deforestation or forest degradation from entering the European market.

When does it come into force?

From 30 December 2025, for large and medium-sized enterprises.
From 26 June 2026 for small and micro-enterprises.

Examples of processed products that must comply with the regulation

Raw materials	Examples of processed products
Cattle	Leather, meat, preserves, hides.
Cocoa	Cocoa beans, cocoa paste, cocoa powder, chocolate.
Coffee	Fresh or roasted, coffee substitutes, coffee husks.
Rubber	Natural rubber, sheets, plates, conveyor belts, new tyres, inner tubes, clothing, gloves.
Palm oil	Crude or refined palm oil, palm nuts and kernels, glycerol (95%), palmitic acid, stearic acid and other refined products.
Soya	Soya beans, flour and meal, soya oil (refined or unrefined).
Wood	Boards, veneers, sawn wood, densified wood, boxes, barrels, tools, furniture, kitchenware and any wood products. Paper pulp and paper products. Prefabricated wood products.

Recycled materials and products that have reached the end of their useful life are excluded.

What must you do to comply?

Companies will have to demonstrate that their supply chain guarantees:

That raw materials and products are free from deforestation.
That they comply with the legislation of the country of origin.
That they have Due Diligence submitted prior to import or marketing. The due diligence must include a risk assessment and full traceability and must be available to the company for 5 years as it may be requested by the competent authorities at any time.

What are the consequences of non-compliance?

Failure to comply with the EUDR Regulation may result in:

Financial penalties.
Exclusion from public contracts.
Confiscation of goods.

Contact our experts

Do you import or market products related to these raw materials? It is necessary to start preparing to ensure traceability and compliance with the new European legal framework. Contact us!