EUDR Update: The Gridlock Ends, but the Clock is Still Ticking

Joe H
Nov 20, 2025
4 min read

If you’ve been following the updates on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), you know the situation in Brussels has been nothing short of a legislative deadlock. For US wood product suppliers, the uncertainty has been the only constant.

However, this week marked a major breakthrough. The stalemate between EU Member States appears to be over, but a critical vote next week will determine if we get a clean delay or more chaos before the holidays.

Here is the latest status and the critical dates to watch.

The Breakthrough: Council Backs a 1-Year Delay

On Wednesday, November 19, EU Member States (the Council) finally broke the gridlock.

According to reporting from Euractiv, a majority of countries have endorsed a compromise proposal that pushes the compliance deadline back by one year. Crucially, France—which had previously blocked attempts to weaken the regulation—shifted its vote to support this deal, isolating the opposition (Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands).

The Deal on the Table:

Clean 1-Year Delay: The core compliance deadline for large operators would move to December 30, 2026. This eliminates the ambiguous "grace period" previously proposed by the Commission.
Simplification Review: Instead of immediately creating a "No Risk" country category (a major demand from the EPP and Germany), the Council agreed to a "Review Clause." This legally binds the European Commission to review the rules by April 2026, potentially opening the door for future simplification.

EUDR Critical Dates: November 21 and 26

While the Council has agreed, the European Parliament still needs to vote. We are now entering a decisive window that will shape the final outcome. According to the European Parliament’s Plenary Agenda, here is the schedule:

Friday, November 21 (12:00 CET): The "Amendments & Rejections" Deadline This is the deadline for political groups to table amendments. We are watching closely to see if the European People’s Party (EPP) submits amendments calling for a two-year delay or the controversial "No Risk" category.

Why it matters: If they table these amendments, it signals they are willing to challenge the Council’s compromise, increasing the risk of a messy legislative fight in December.

Wednesday, November 26 (12:00–13:00 CET): The Procedural Vote the Parliament will vote on the proposed amendment "Deforestation Regulation: certain obligations of operators and traders." The most likely results are:

Scenario A (Clean Path): Parliament votes to approve the Council’s text without adding new amendments. If this happens, the delay is effectively a done deal, giving businesses the certainty of a 2026 deadline. Only the December 15 final adoption vote is required to formally approve.
Scenario B (The Hard Way): Parliament passes the delay but adds its own amendments (like a 2-year extension). This would trigger frantic "Trilogue" negotiations (Commission, Council and Parliament) to reconcile the two versions before the absolute final deadline of December 15.

What This Means for the US Wood Product Industry

For our wood product industry partners and neighbors here in the US, the risk of a "Default Implementation" on December 30, 2025, has dropped significantly, but it has not disappeared.

The EUDR’s Due Diligence requirements still remain for any company placing relevant products on the EU market. Those of us along the supply chain from the forest to the final product will still need to support DDS compliance. Though there is a possibility of some form of simplification, what that may look like is yet to be determined.

For now, there is enough voting support for a one-year delay, giving the industry breathing room until December 2026. However, until the Parliament vote on November 26 confirms the text of the final proposal, and the December 15th vote to formally adopt it passes, December 30th still is the official EUDR compliance date.

TL;DR – EUDR Delay & What’s Next

Council Deal: EU Member States have backed a 1-year delay to the EUDR, moving the main compliance deadline for large operators to December 30, 2026.
No “No-Risk” Countries (Yet): Instead of weakening the rules now, the Council added a review clause requiring the Commission to revisit and possibly simplify the regulation by April 2026.
Key Parliament Dates:
- Nov 21: Deadline for MEPs to file amendments (e.g., push for a 2-year delay or “No-Risk” category).
- Nov 26: Parliament vote on the delay text. This decides whether we get a clean delay or are pushed into messy last-minute negotiations.
Two Main Scenarios on Nov 26:
- Scenario A – Clean Path: Parliament accepts the Council deal as-is → delay to Dec 30, 2026 is essentially locked in, with formal adoption on Dec 15.
- Scenario B – The Hard Way: Parliament adds its own changes → triggers intense “trilogue” talks before the Dec 15 final deadline.
Impact on US Wood Product Suppliers:
- The risk of a “default” 2025 implementation has dropped but is not gone.
- Due diligence (DDS) obligations remain for anyone placing covered products on the EU market.
- Until Parliament’s Nov 26 vote and the Dec 15 adoption, Dec 30, 2025 is still the legal compliance date on paper.