The European Commission has proposed targeted measures and simplifications for the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) to reduce the administrative burden on certain companies and ensure the smooth function of the new IT system.

These proposed changes are currently being discussed by the European Parliament and the Council, but the key measures include:

The Commission's proposal focuses on streamlining requirements for actors further down the supply chain and for smaller primary producers.

Only the first operator placing a product on the EU market would be obliged to submit a Due Diligence Statement (DDS) into the EUDR IT system. This means downstream operators and traders (like retailers or manufacturers who process the product further) would no longer need to submit a separate DDS, significantly simplifying the process for them. They would still need to collect and pass on the reference numbers.

Micro and small primary operators from countries classified as low-risk would only need to submit a simple, one-off declaration into the IT system, replacing the need for regular, full DDS submissions. This primarily benefits small EU farmers and foresters.

To ensure the EUDR Information System can handle the anticipated load and to allow companies more time to prepare, the Commission proposed transitional periods.

For large and medium enterprises, the application date remains December 30, 2025. However, they will benefit from a six-month grace period for checks and enforcement, meaning enforcement measures would not begin until June 30, 2026.

For micro and small enterprises, the application date is postponed by one year, with obligations applying from December 30, 2026 (instead of the previously set June 30, 2026).

These targeted adjustments are designed to maintain the core objective of the EUDR—to keep products linked to deforestation off the EU market—while making compliance more manageable and efficient.