Brussels U-turns on anti-deforestation law delay

By Leonie Cater, James Fernyhough | 10/22/2025 06:12 AM EDT

The surprise decision follows a string of unexpected changes to the EU’s main tool to end deforestation.

LUXEMBOURG — The European Commission has dropped a plan to delay its flagship anti-deforestation law, just a month after announcing it wanted to pause it for another year.

However, the EU executive has proposed a number of changes to the law to reduce paperwork, Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall announced on Tuesday during the Environment Council meeting in Luxembourg.

The announcement follows a string of unexpected developments regarding the EU Deforestation-free Regulation (EUDR), which was enacted in 2023 and is designed to ensure products such as coffee, beef, cocoa and palm oil imported to the EU do not come from deforested land. It was already delayed by 12 months last year.

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Under the new proposal, micro- and small businesses will still be given an extra year to comply.

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