The EU Deforestation Regulation comes into force in December 2024

 Monday, July 1, 2024

The European Union’s Deforestation Regulation’s will come into force at ports and entry points across the EU for commodities derived from wood, palm oil, rubber, soy, cattle, cocoa and coffee on December 30, 2024.

To pass border checks, products must have a valid Due Diligence Statement (DDS) number, which enables tracing the material back to its point of origin. Although these regulations primarily target global deforestation rather than UK forestry, the UK is still subject to them. The regulations apply universally to countries both within and outside the EU, making compliance unavoidable.

It is vitally important that the UK forestry sector embraces the regulations so that we do not end up in a situation where some processers are unable to accept timber as it is not compliant with EUDR so in affect creating a second timber market within the UK. There is a ongoing discussion about whether the UK Woodland Assurance Standard should incorporate the requirements of EUDR into the standard as this alignment would ensure that all certified forests in the UK are then compliant.

The adjoining members will be:

• PEFC
• FSC

Deforestation Regulation Implementation

The Regulation on Deforestation Free Products (EUDR) is an important turning point in the global fight against deforestation. It will start to apply on December 30, 2024.

The following guidelines have been created by the European Commission to provide information to national authorities, EU operators and other stakeholders for the implementation of the Regulation on Deforestation Free Products (EUDR).

Scope

The new rules apply if you place on the EU market or export from the EU: palm oil, cattle, soy, coffee, cocoa, timber and rubber as well as derived products like furniture, chocolate etc.

Timeline

The Regulation applies to all products placed on the market from December 30, 2024 and June 30, 2025 for small business.

Due Diligence

Due diligence must be carried out to ensure the products are free of deforestation. They come from land that wasn’t deforested after December 31, 2020. They must also comply with the laws in the country where they were produced.

What actions should be prioritised at the each stage of supply chain?

• Growing – Commodities must be produced legally and be free from deforestation, with geolocation data of the production area required to be collected.

• Trading and shipping – Deforestation-free and legally produced commodities must be kept separate from other goods during trade and shipment.

• Producing – Large manufacturers of goods in the EU must check that due diligence has been exercised upstream in the supply chain.

• Selling or exporting products – Before selling the product on the EU market, large retailers must check that due diligence has been exercised upstream in the supply chain.

Read more news on: EUDR, Confor, deforestation, forestry, woodworking, PEFC, FSC

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