The Swedish Forest Industries Federation welcomes the clarification that only the first operator in a value chain will be responsible for submitting due diligence statements under the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). This is a step in the right direction that responds to industry concerns and helps reduce unnecessary duplication.
“It is encouraging to see the Commission acknowledge that downstream operators should not be burdened with repeated due diligence obligations,” says Viveka Beckeman, Director General at the Swedish Forest Industries Federation. “This adjustment is essential for enabling practical compliance in complex supply chains.”
However, the Commission’s proposal falls short of delivering the regulatory simplification and legal clarity that industry had hoped for. The continued requirement for reference numbers to follow products throughout the entire value chain imposes significant administrative burdens without offering meaningful traceability.
“We seriously question whether this creates any relevant traceability, and why downstream operators still face significant responsibilities and strong sanctions without a fair chance of managing them,” Beckeman continues. “The system remains overly burdensome and risks being unworkable for thousands of companies across Europe.”
The proposed changes also introduce significant shifts in how the system is expected to function, as well as new question marks, yet the timeline for implementation remains extremely tight. Thousands of companies across Europe are expected to adapt to a complex and evolving rulebook with virtually no transition period.
“It is not realistic to renegotiate such a complex regulatory framework on short notice and expect companies to comply immediately,” Beckeman emphasizes. “We urge the Commission to allow more time for adaptation and for the proposal to be properly debated by the Parliament and Member States.”
This decision highlights a troubling gap between the Commission’s stated ambitions for competitiveness and regulatory simplification and the reality of its actions. If the Commission, Member States and the European Parliament are truly committed to supporting European industry while fighting deforestation, they must urgently revisit both the timeline and initiate a thorough revision of the legislation. This is necessary to ensure that EUDR implementation is both practical and legally implementable.
