In late 2023, a coalition of trade associations and business groups sent an open letter to the European Commission requesting a postponement of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) implementation timeline. This letter — and the political process it reflected — ultimately contributed to the Commission's decision to delay the EUDR by one year, pushing the compliance deadline for large companies from December 2024 to December 2025, and from June 2025 to June 2026 for smaller operators.

This article explains the context of the postponement, what it means for EUDR compliance, and what companies should do now.

Background: what the EUDR requires

The EU Deforestation Regulation requires companies placing specific commodities on the EU market — cattle, soy, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, wood, rubber, and derived products — to demonstrate that those products are deforestation-free and were produced in compliance with relevant local laws. This requires due diligence systems, geolocation data from production plots, and due diligence statements submitted to EU authorities.

The regulation creates significant new obligations for importers and supply chain participants. For more detail on what the regulation requires, see our full EUDR compliance guide.

The postponement decision

The European Commission announced the EUDR postponement in October 2023, following sustained pressure from business groups, trading partners, and some EU member states. The core arguments for postponement were:

• Inadequate readiness of the EU's information system for due diligence statements
• Insufficient preparation time for operators, particularly smaller businesses and businesses in affected supply chain countries
• Concerns about disruption to trade relationships with key exporting countries
• Technical challenges in collecting and verifying geolocation data at the required scale

The postponement does not change the regulation's substance — only its timeline. All compliance requirements remain in effect.

What companies should do now

The postponement provides additional preparation time, but companies should not treat it as an opportunity to pause. Key actions:

• Complete your EUDR scope assessment to identify which products and supply chains are in scope
• Build supplier engagement programs to collect geolocation and compliance documentation
• Implement or upgrade due diligence systems to track product origins
• Prepare due diligence statement templates for submission to EU authorities

For companies managing EUDR alongside other sustainability reporting obligations, see also our guide on CSRD compliance for the broader regulatory context.

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How Coolset supports EUDR compliance

Coolset’s EUDR module supports the full due diligence workflow, from supplier data collection to geolocation verification and due diligence statement preparation. Book a demo to see how it works.