The Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) has said that the proposed one-year delay to the implementation of the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is a “pragmatic and necessary step” to avoid disruption and ensure EU supply chain readiness.
AIC member businesses supply UK farmers and growers with the animal feed, fertiliser, seed, crop protection products, advice and services that are essential to producing food, as well as trading crops and commodities across the globe.
The confederation has seen a copy of the letter sent by European Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall to Antonio Decaro, chair of the EU Parliament ENVI Committee, recommending a further one-year delay to the EUDR.
The letter, shared at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting in Brussels, cites unresolved challenges with the I.T system needed to manage the vast data volumes required for compliance.
To enact the delay, the commission must propose a regulation for approval by both the Council of the EU and the European Parliament.
While formal sign-off is still required, it is widely expected to be accepted. The EUDR is also set to apply in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Windsor Framework.
Commissioner Roswall acknowledged that, despite simplification efforts, the current system risks disrupting businesses: “We still cannot believe that we can really get this without disruption. We need the time to combat the risk with the load of information in the I.T system.”
Deforestation regulation
The regulation was originally scheduled to apply from December 30, 2024. It had already been postponed once to the end of 2025, giving companies and trading partners an additional 12 months to prepare for the new tracing and due diligence requirements.
Roswall’s latest proposal seeks a further extension, which she has stated is not influenced by complaints from trade partners such as the United States, Japan, or Malaysia, nor by recent trade talks with Indonesia.
She left open the possibility of amending the substance of the deforestation rules, noting that simplification efforts will continue in discussions with EU ministers.
The European Compound Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC) also welcomed the proposed delay, citing insufficient availability of EUDR-compliant soy to meet the EU’s annual demand of over 30 million tonnes.
FEFAC urged the European Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament to include EUDR in the Omnibus simplification package to reduce administrative burdens and safeguard essential soy supplies for the EU feed and livestock sector.
AIC has said it will discuss the implications with its members and supply chain partners and consider any impact on the supply of responsibly sourced soya through to the end of 2026.
