Posted on December, 04 2024

“It is a relief that the fundamental elements of the most progressive EU law to fight deforestation remain unchanged. However, delaying its application by a year is already a step backward, allowing deforestation to continue unabated,” said Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove, Manager, Forests at the WWF European Policy Office. “The deal is also significant in that it represents a major defeat of the EPP’s efforts to hollow out the EUDR - and thus its first attempt at weakening the European Green Deal by making common cause with the far right.”

The trilogue deal also included a political statement committing the European Commission to finalise the country risk benchmarking six months before the application of the EUDR at the end of 2025, and provides the opportunity to simplify and reduce administrative burdens in the review foreseen in 2028.

WWF calls on the European Commission to use the additional time until the end of 2025 to ensure clear, robust implementation and urges EU Member States to prepare for effective checks and controls without further delay.
The deal will now need to be formally approved by EU Member States, as well as the European Parliament first in its Environment Committee this afternoon and then in its December plenary session.