EU Deforestation Regulation: The European Commission's Simplification Push

The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is aimed at keeping products linked to deforestation and forest degradation off the EU market. Towards the end of last year, the European Commission proposed some simplifications.

The European Commission has now published a package of measures aimed at cutting red tape, improving legal certainty and smoothing the regime's start date. It says that this will not soften its aims. It believes that the combined changes could reduce annual compliance costs by about 75% versus the original set-up.

The package comprises:

• a report to the European Parliament and Council, setting out simplifications agreed to date and the next tranche;
• revised guidance and FAQs, answering common questions from early implementers;