The European Confederation of Paper Industries (Cepi) has expressed support for the recent agreement to postpone the implementation of the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) by one year.
This decision, reached on December 3, 2024, by the Council, Parliament, and Commission, pushes the regulation's application date to December 30, 2025.
Cepi, representing the European pulp and paper industry, welcomed the delay, emphasizing their long-standing commitment to sustainable forest management. The organization stated that this additional transition period
Despite the positive reception of the delay, Cepi highlighted the need for additional work:
- Improved Guidance: The industry is calling for further clarification of the official EU FAQs and Guidance documents to resolve ambiguities and inconsistencies.
- Implementable Solutions: Cepi stressed the importance of developing operative solutions that are easily implementable by operators without compromising the regulation's integrity.
- Enhanced Training: The organization urged for continued and intensified training sessions on the Information System, ensuring all supply chain actors are well-informed about the new requirements
Cepi expressed readiness to cooperate and contribute to the refinement process, underscoring the industry's commitment to the EUDR's goals of combating deforestation and promoting forest resilience.
This development comes amid a series of discussions and adjustments to the EUDR. The European Commission had previously proposed the one-year delay in October 2024, responding to concerns from global partners and stakeholders about the feasibility of compliance with the original timeline.
The agreement reached in the trilogues represents a significant step in balancing the urgent need for deforestation prevention with practical implementation concerns. It also marks a defeat for attempts to substantially weaken the regulation, as proposed by some political groups.
As the EUDR moves towards its new implementation date, the focus now shifts to ensuring smooth application and effective compliance across affected industries.
