As reported by table.media, negotiations between the EU Parliament and Council on the EU regulation for deforestation-free supply chains (EUDR) on 21 November 2024 have failed to reach an agreement. It is disputed whether the regulation should only be postponed or whether its content should also be changed (trade-e-bility reported: Postpone and renegotiate EUDR). A further round of negotiations is scheduled for 3 December 2024. If no agreement is reached then, the rules would enter into force as planned from 30 December 2024 – a scenario that neither Parliament nor the Council want.
The Member States and the EU Commission favour a postponement of one year and have offered political commitments to take Parliament's demands into account in future revisions. However, these commitments were not enough for rapporteur Christine Schneider (EPP), who accused the Council of a lack of willingness to negotiate.
A substantive change to the regulation seems unlikely, as many EU countries reject an additional category for producer countries "without deforestation risk". They see legal and practical problems, including possible loopholes and WTO incompatibility. The Council is almost unanimously in favour of a pure deferral, while in Parliament it is mainly the EPP, right-wing parties and some liberals who support changes. The Social Democrats and Greens, on the other hand, are sharply critical.
Is your company affected by the EUDR? Take action now! Christopher Blauth and Jens Haasler will be happy to answer your questions at beratung@trade-e-bility.de.
