The European Commission has proposed delaying implementation of a deforestation law for a year.
The European Union Deforestation Regulation would ban the import of products linked to deforestation, such as lumber and products made from them, coffee, rubber and cocoa.
The proposal would delay the rules scheduled to start at the end of this year until Dec. 30, 2025, for large companies and until June 30, 2026, for small companies. European lawmakers and member states still have to vote on the delay.
11 Foundry Managing Director Colin Miller told WFB he and his colleagues are “cautiously optimistic” the delay will be accepted.
“We encourage industry at all points in the value chain not to relax, but instead to think of any change in the implementation schedule as a much-needed opportunity to prepare for what will still likely be a very challenging environment,” Miller said. “Ideally, a more gradual roll-out will give industry stakeholders a degree of breathing room to implement and acclimate to the procedures and tools they will need for EU Regulation on Deforestation-free Products compliance.”
Read Miller’s column on the challenges and solutions the EUDR will provide for the wood flooring industry here.
