Nestlé, Mars Wrigley, Ferrero, and Tony’s Chocolonely have signed an open letter urging the European Commission not to postpone the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) for a second time, warning that further delays will have environmental consequences.
The regulation will require businesses to provide evidence that products sold on the EU market were not sourced from recently deforested land and have not contributed to the degradation of forests.
Last month, the Commission announced that the EUDR – previously set to apply for large businesses by the end of the year, and by June 2026 for SMEs – would be delayed for a second time due to ‘IT issues’.
Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall explained that the twelve-month postponement would give the EU the “necessary time to get the IT system capacity that we need”.
Now the aforementioned companies join the Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade Advocacy Office, Alliance pour la Préservation des Forêts, and others in warning against the delay.
They point to the simplification measures introduced by the Commission earlier this year, arguing that a longer pause “would introduce considerable uncertainty and stakeholder disengagement and result in additional compliance expenses for businesses”.
The letter goes on: “Conducting supplier due diligence and implementing traceability systems, as set out in the EUDR, are fundamental aspects of responsible raw material sourcing and good business practice, ensuring effective risk mitigation and management of negative environmental impacts, including deforestation.
“The proposed delay puts at risk the preservation of forests worldwide, will accelerate climate change impacts, and undermines trust in Europe’s regulatory commitments.”
Instead, the signatories encourage the Commission to take a “pragmatic approach” to overcoming technical difficulties. If the Information System or other technical aspects pose problems, they recommend that the situation is recognized as force majeure for enforcement and compliance.
A Commission Notice should then be sent out to Member States, competent authorities, and operators. This should set a definitive (but reviewable) grace period of six months or less, in which time fines will be suspended and controls will be revisited.
An ongoing technical committee should also be tasked with overseeing implementation and technical discussions between authorities and operators, the signatories suggest.
“We urge the European Commission to provide clarity on its intended next steps as soon as possible to avoid additional uncertainty. Companies need to know what to prepare for, and by when,” the letter concludes.
Other big companies have backed the delay. Mondelēz asserts that rising prices, decreasing production, and digital infrastructure gaps in the countries from which it sources its cocoa stand in the way of “practical, inclusive, and effective implementation” of the EUDR.
Lavazza also argues that a lack of clarity around land ownership could make compliance difficult for its suppliers in Africa and Central America.
The news comes after the European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB) reassured its members that the EUDR would not have significant impacts on customers transporting products with wooden packaging and pallets. It emphasized that wooden packaging would only be held to the EUDR’s rules when it was placed on the market for the first time as a standalone product, and the rules would not apply for future reuse.
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