Commission Publishes Updated Guidance On The EU Deforestation Regulation

The European Commission has published updated guidance on the EU Deforestation Regulation, providing clarifications on key concepts such as "negligible risk", due diligence obligations, and the scope of relevant products.

The Deforestation Regulation, adopted in May 2013, aims to curb global deforestation and forest degradation linked to European consumption. Initially set to apply from December 2024 but postponed by one year, the Deforestation Regulation requires companies placing certain commodities — such as cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, soy, rubber, and wood — on the Union market or exporting them from it to prove their products are deforestation-free and legally produced. The Regulation introduces mandatory due diligence, data collection, and reporting obligations, for operators and traders who make available on or export from the Union market covered commodities and their derived products.