German MEP, Christine Schneider, of the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) has withdrawn her proposal to create a ‘no risk’ category under the EUDR, reports Euractiv.
The proposed exemption would have eased compliance for countries deemed to have negligible deforestation risk, but it faced significant opposition from EU countries.
“We are not insisting on creating a ‘zero-risk’ category, as several member states have concerns,” Schneider, the EU Parliament’s lead negotiator on the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), stated in a letter to EU ministers.
Instead, she proposed a compromise through a review clause under Article 34, enabling a future reassessment of simplified requirements for countries with sustainable forest management.
Schneider emphasized that this approach would still combat global deforestation while avoiding undue documentation burdens on low-risk regions.
On November 20, EU member states firmly rejected attempts to dilute the EUDR’s provisions, a move championed by the EPP last month.
During a Coreper meeting, member states declined to reopen negotiations on the regulation’s legal text, agreeing only to discuss the EU Commission’s proposal to postpone the regulation’s application timeline.
MEPs back revised EUDR timeline
MEPs had voted on November 14 to delay EUDR obligations by one year, offering businesses additional time for compliance.
Under the revised timeline, large operators and traders must meet the regulation’s requirements by December 30, 2025, while micro and small enterprises have until June 30, 2026.
This extension addresses concerns raised by EU member states, non-EU countries, and industry stakeholders, who argued that the original 2024 deadline was unfeasible.
The EP also adopted amendments, including the addition of a new ‘no risk’ category for countries with negligible deforestation risks.
That classification change was one of 15 amendments proposed by the EPP. However, six amendments, including a two-year extension and the exclusion of traders from due diligence requirements, were withdrawn ahead of the vote.
EU negotiators from the Parliament, Council, and Commission are set to meet on December 3 for trilogues to finalize the legislative delay. Any agreement will require a plenary vote in Strasbourg, scheduled between December 16 and 19, for implementation.
Credit: feednavigator.com
