European Parliament backs one-year EUDR delay to December 2026

The European Parliament has voted to back a one-year postponement of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), moving the landmark legislation toward its second delay since being adopted in 2023.

The vote at the EU plenary in Strasbourg follows member states’ backing of the delay last week and the commission’s proposal in October. If the institutions reach an agreement in trilogue negotiations, EUDR requirements would apply from December 30, 2026, for large operators and traders, with small and micro enterprises receiving until June 30, 2027. The regulation’s current legal deadline remains December 30, 2025.

The regulation, which has been in force since June 2023, sets strict due diligence requirements for commodities including cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, and rubber to ensure products sold in or exported from the EU are deforestation-free.

Timeline and current status

The EUDR was initially scheduled to apply from December 30, 2024. In December 2024, the regulation received a one-year postponement, pushing the current legal deadline to December 30, 2025, for large companies and June 30, 2026, for small enterprises.

However, in October 2025, the commission proposed another delay, citing continuing IT system readiness concerns and administrative capacity issues. Member states endorsed the delay proposal last week, setting the stage for today’s parliamentary vote.

“A one-year postponement for all companies, like the European Commission initially proposed, is essential to give authorities and operators the time needed to implement the rules properly,” says Christine Schneider, Parliament’s lead negotiator on the EUDR.

Review clause controversy

The proposal includes a review clause requiring the commission to assess the regulation’s impact and administrative burden on operators by April 2026, with potential legislative changes to follow. This element has drawn criticism from environmental groups who argue the regulation should be implemented before being reviewed.

“What started as an IT issue has morphed into a chaotic and unmanageable situation,” says Anke Schulmeister-Oldenhove, policy manager for forests at WWF European Policy Office. “The European Commission must urgently clean up this mess and take back control.”

WWF emphasized that the regulation should be “brought back on track” rather than weakened through further delays and simplifications.

The Parliament also voted to exclude printed products such as books, newspapers, and magazines from the regulation’s scope, with 449 votes in favor and 202 against.

Industry division and next steps

Industry responses remain split on the delays. More than 50 companies, including Nestlé and Mars Wrigley, warned in an October letter that repeated postponements would undermine investments already made in compliance and create regulatory uncertainty.

However, other industry stakeholders have welcomed additional preparation time, particularly citing concerns about the functionality of the EU’s Traces IT system and the administrative burden on smaller operators.

Parliament and Council must now negotiate a common text through trialogue discussions before Christmas. Given that both institutions are largely aligned on the delay, a swift agreement is expected before the current December 30, 2025, deadline takes effect. However, until an amending regulation is formally adopted and published in the Official Journal, the existing 2025 deadline remains legally in force.

The proposal represents a uniform one-year postponement for all operators, replacing the commission’s original proposal of a six-month grace period for larger companies.