The announcement of the regulation for deforestation-free products (EUDR) of the European Commission also caused a stir within the promotional products industry. The aim of the EUDR is the regulation of the trade with products that could contribute towards deforestation. These include cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, rubber and some of their derived products such as leather, chocolate, tyres or furniture.
Several outstanding issues and uncertainties regarding the implementation of the regulation led to the EU Commission proposing a 24-month extension of the implementation deadline in October 2024. The German Minister for Food & Agriculture, Cem Özdemir (Bündnis 90/The Green Party), had already demanded such an extension in September: “The companies need ample time to prepare themselves.”
The extension should now guarantee the smooth introduction of the regulation. Additional guidelines and a new framework for the international cooperation is to help member states and third countries implement the EUDR. The guidelines offer companies and enforcement authorities detailed instructions and should clarify central terms such as “forest degradation”, “market participants” in the scope of application of the regulation and “bringing into circulation”. Furthermore, an updated list of frequently asked questions was published.
Should the European Parliament and the Commission of the European Union agree, the provisions would become binding for big companies on December 30, 2025 and for small and micro enterprises on June 30, 2026. The IT system via which companies have to register their due diligence declarations will be available from November 2024 onwards and is to be fully operational in December 2024.
