On 17 December 2025, the European Parliament adopted targeted amendments to the EU Deforestation Regulation, originally adopted in 2023, with the aim of postponing implementation and simplifying compliance. The changes were approved by 405 votes to 242, with 8 abstentions, following an informal agreement with EU Member States reached on 4 December 2025.
Under the revised timeline, all businesses are granted an additional year to comply with the regulation. Large operators and traders will be required to apply the rules from 30 December 2026, while small operators and micro-enterprises will have until 30 June 2027. The postponement is intended to ensure a smooth transition and allow improvements to the IT systems used for electronic due diligence statements.
The amendments also simplify due diligence requirements, particularly for micro and small primary operators, who will only need to submit a one-off simplified declaration. Responsibility for submitting due diligence statements will rest solely with the first business placing a relevant product on the EU market. In addition, printed products have been excluded from the scope of the regulation.
The European Commission is required to present a report by 30 April 2026 assessing the regulations impact and administrative burden, especially on small and micro operators. The amended text must now be endorsed by the Council and published in the EU Official Journal before the end of 2025 to enter into force.