A coalition of global consumer brands, including companies like Nestlé, Mars Wrigley, and Ferrero, has formally requested the European Union, or the EU, to reject a proposed second delay to the landmark EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
The regulation, which mandates that companies prove seven key commodities were not produced on land deforested after December 31, 2020, currently sets a mandatory compliance date for large firms as December 30, 2025.
The European Commission recently signaled its intent to push this deadline back by a full year to late 2026, primarily due to “significant technical challenges” with the new Due Diligence Statement (DDS) Information System.
It threatens climate goals:
In a unified open letter to European policymakers, the firms expressed deep frustration over the possibility that a technical issue could delay a crucial environmental policy. The companies argue that they have already invested heavily in traceability and supply chain restructuring to meet the original deadline.
A spokesperson for the corporate group said, “We deeply regret that a technical IT issue risks jeopardizing the EUDR’s core objectives and entry into force, three months before the implementation deadline for companies.”
Undermining trust and rewarding laggards:
The coalition warned that delaying the EUDR would negatively impact both the environment and responsible businesses. They argue that a postponement would reward industry laggards who have put off compliance efforts, while penalizing responsible firms that have already re-engineered their sourcing models.
The signatories delivered a strong warning about the broader implications of regulatory uncertainty. They stated that postponing the mandatory date “puts at risk the preservation of forests worldwide, will accelerate climate change impacts, and undermines trust in Europe’s regulatory commitments.”
The proposed delay follows concerns raised by Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall that the EU’s digital infrastructure, designed to handle vast amounts of geolocation and due diligence data, could face disruptive “unacceptable system slowdowns” if launched on schedule.
