EUDR: New Deadlines and Critical Nuances for US Industries

It’s Official: EU Deforestation Regulation Implementation Delayed by One Year

The uncertainty is finally over. On December 17, 2025, the European Parliament voted to officially amend the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), granting a one-year delay to the implementation timeline.

The vote was decisive, passing with 405 votes in favor, 242 against, and 8 abstentions. This amendment provides much-needed breathing room for US timber industries to align their supply chains with the regulation's rigorous data requirements.

Below is a breakdown of the official changes and, more importantly, the specific nuances that US exporters need to understand to cut through the confusion in general media reporting.

The Key Changes to EU Deforestation Regulation

According to the Text Adopted by Parliament (P10_TA(2025)0331), the following changes have been made to the EUDR:

1. New Compliance Deadlines

The application of the regulation has been pushed back by exactly 12 months:

• Medium and Larger Enterprises: December 30, 2026

• Small and Micro Enterprises: June 30, 2027

2. Print Media Exemption

A significant change for the paper and pulp sector: Books, newspapers, magazines, pictures, and other products of the printing industry (formerly code ex 49) have been removed from the scope of the regulation and will not require an EUDR Due Diligence Statement (DDS).

3. Simplification Review

The Amendment tasks the EU Commission with conducting a specific "simplification review." They are required to submit a report—and potentially a new legislative proposal—by April 30, 2026, to identify further ways to reduce administrative burden.

Nuance Notes: Reading Between the Lines of the EUDR Amendment

While news reports are highlighting various "simplifications" included in this amendment, it is vital for US-based companies to understand how these actually apply to our specific supply chains. The reality is that many of these "wins" do not apply to US exporters.

1. The "Downstream Operator" Simplification

The amendment creates a simplified process for "Downstream Operators." However, this has limited utility for us:

• These changes only affect companies handling commodities that have already been placed on the EU market (i.e., they have already cleared customs and the initial DDS has been filed).

• Impact on US Companies: US-based companies would only benefit from this if they had a physical subsidiary presence in the EU and were handling commodities downstream of the initial import. For direct exporters, the full due diligence obligation remains.

2. SME Simplifications for Low-Risk Countries

There has been talk of allowing small producers to use a Postal Address instead of complex Geospatial Data (polygons/points). However, the text is very restrictive:

• The Constraint: This simplification applies only to Small and Micro Enterprises (SMEs) who are themselves placing commodities directly on the EU Market.

• The Supply Chain Reality: This simplification does not apply if the SME is merely a supplier to a larger enterprise.

Examples of how this works in practice:

• Scenario A: A landowner from a low-risk country sells timber directly to the EU market ⇒ Postal address simplification allowed.

• Scenario B: A landowner sells timber to a large sawmill (like Turman or Blackberry Pallet) who then exports to the EU ⇒ Simplification is NOT allowed. Full geospatial data is required from the landowner.

Moving Forward

While the dates have changed, the data requirements for US exporters remain largely the same. We effectively have an extra year to perfect the systems we have already been building.

Sources & References:

• Official Text Adopted: European Parliament Regulation Amendment P10_TA(2025)0331

• Vote Results: European Parliament Voting Record (Dec 17, 2025)