The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will apply to many companies from December 30, 2026. EUDR stands for "EU Deforestation Regulation". The regulation is intended to prevent certain goods from originating from areas that have been deforested or degraded after December 31, 2020.
The raw materials affected are cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soy, and wood, as well as many products made from these materials. The precise tariff classification number is decisive. Not every product containing one of these materials automatically falls under the regulation.
The first market participant who places an affected product in circulation or exports it within the EU bears primary responsibility for due diligence. They require, among other things, supplier data, geocoordinates of production areas, a risk assessment, and a reference from the EUDR information system.
Freight forwarders are not automatically responsible for substantive deforestation verification. However, they need the correct information for customs and transport processes. If a reference number is missing or does not match the shipment, clearing delays, inquiries, and storage costs threaten.
The deadline is not the same for everyone. Large and medium-sized enterprises start on December 30, 2026. Most small and micro-enterprises follow on June 30, 2027. Small companies that were already covered by the earlier EU Timber Regulation also start at the end of 2026. For products newly included in 2026, the deadline is generally the end of 2027.