EU – As the Handelsblatt reported in an article on September 23, 2025, the implementation deadline for the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is expected to be delayed again. The EU Commission intends to postpone the law on forest protection that is also much debated in the promotional products industry by one year, according to the Handelsblatt. This is based on a letter from the Swedish Environmental Officer, Jessika Roswall, addressed to the European Parliament, which was allegedly presented exclusively to the newspaper.
The goal of the EUDR is to regulate the trade with products that could contribute towards deforestation. These include cattle, wood, cocoa, soy, palm oil, coffee, rubber and some of their by-products such as leather, chocolate, tyres or furniture.
The EU Commission officially cites IT problems as the reason for a possible further delay. According to the Handelsblatt, the Commission intends to adapt the law, for example by exempting small companies and specific countries from the law. According to Roswall’s proposal, the regulation is to come into effect for big companies from the end of 2026 onwards, the deadline would be extended until June 30, 2027 for small and medium-sized companies.
