New EU Regulation on Forest Risk Commodities

If you export to the EU, or are an EU/NI importer, please be aware that new legislation is being introduced which may affect you.

The EU Parliament adopted the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in April 2023. This legislation is aimed at goods linked with deforestation and degradation. It is not specific to organic and will apply to "forest risk commodities" imported into the EU. The list of commodities affected includes: oil palm, soya, cocoa, coffee, cattle/beef, rubber, wood, charcoal and printed paper products. The EUDR will also apply to products that contain, have been fed with, or have been made using these commodities (such as chocolate, animal feed, leather, and furniture).

EU importers will need to implement a Due Diligence System, including being able to trace products back to source and collecting supply chain information from suppliers. Be aware that your EU customers may request this information from you, if applicable. The new rules are expected to come into effect in late 2024. If you export to the EU,  or are an EU/NI importer, you may wish to review your sourcing plan in preparation.

For more information, the EU press release can be found here.